Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Newsround at 3.55pm today:-

Sonali: First to big problems in Northern Ireland. Yesterday we told you how the most important man in politics there has had to take a break from his job as First Minister. It's the first time anything like this has happened, so we sent Hayley to Belfast to get the latest.

Hayley: Peter Robinson and his wife Iris are both ministers for the Democratic Unionist Party, and have always been a very popular couple. They're almost like celebrities - always being photographed together at big events.
Peter and Iris RobinsonHayley: But last week it came out they were having relationship problems, and Iris had used her powers to get £50,000 for a friend to start a business. This was against the rules because Iris didn't tell the government about the money. Some people reckon her husband also knew she was doing this, but didn't tell anyone either. But he says that's not the case at all - he only found out later. So Iris has quit her job as a minister, and Mr Robinson has stepped aside for 6 weeks because he says he wants to prove he didn't do anything wrong.

Hayley: So what do you think will happen next?

Schoolboy: I think that Peter Robinson will stay as the First Minister after his time off, and that everything will go back to normal.

Schoolgirl: I hope that the First Minister will be appointed again and I hope that the whole government stays strong.

Hayley: So maybe you're used to a bit of disruption?

Schoolboy-2: Yeah we're always used to a bit of disruption here in Northern Ireland, yeah we are.

Hayley: Nothing like this has ever happened in Northern Ireland before, so people aren't really sure what's going to happen next. One thing is certain though - people in Northern Ireland want all this sorted out soon, so that politicians can get back to running the country.

Sonali: And Hayley will be live from Belfast with all the very latest in your next Newsround update, that's at 5 o'clock over on CBBC on BBC One.

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