DUP LEADER:FIRST MINISTER and DUP leader Peter Robinson did not attend the funeral of the late Cardinal Cahal Daly because he is dealing with "family issues", his spokesman told The Irish Timeslast night.
“The First Minister is out of circulation this week as he is dealing with family issues. However, he asked Industry Minister Arlene Foster and Finance Minister Sammy Wilson to meet Cardinal Seán Brady in Armagh this morning to pass on his personal condolences.”
Mr Robinson has remained at home since the announcement on December 28th that his wife, Strangford Assembly member and MP Iris Robinson, is to quit public life because of health problems including severe depression.
Mr Robinson’s spokesman said the First Minister had been dealing with work matters while at home and confirmed a meeting had taken place with the British Conservative spokesman on Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson.
Cardinal Brady met the two DUP Ministers at his home beside St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh yesterday morning. Ms Foster said they wished to “pass on their condolences on behalf of the First Minister”.
She added: “We don’t think it would be appropriate for us to go to the Mass because we would not be able to take part fully in the service today. We very much wanted to pass on our respects on behalf of Peter .”
The DUP issued a statement on Sunday after Mr Robinson had been criticised publicly for not issuing an earlier statement following the death of Dr Daly on Thursday last week.
Former SDLP deputy first minister Seamus Mallon and the former Church of Ireland primate Lord Robin Eames said they were disappointed a statement had not been issued by Mr Robinson. Other critics noted that Mr Robinson had issued a new year’s message in which he defended the record of the Stormont Executive and praised devolved government in Northern Ireland.
The Sunday statement said Mr Robinson criticised those who had sought to find fault with him, and praised the life and work of the late cardinal.
It said: “Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, said he deplored the attempt by a few elements in the press and politics to use the fact that he has been indisposed due to family issues to suggest that he had refused to release a statement on the sad passing of Cardinal Daly.”
It also extended“sincere sympathy to the family of the late Cardinal Cahal Daly”.