Peter Robinson 'Unapologetic' For Recruiting Family

First Minister Peter Robinson has responded to claims of nepotism, suggesting his very life depended on employing people he could trust during the height of the Troubles.

Mr Robinson, who employees four family members, said he was "unapologetic" for not having an open recruitment system, claiming no one else was prepared to carry-out the dangerous roles during the peak of Northern Ireland's conflict.

He told UTV: "I didn't see anybody queuing up to take my daughter's job when she had to carry a parcel bomb with ball bearings attached to explosives out of my office.

"I didn't see anyone pushing my son out of the way when he was opening a letter bomb at my home and I didn't see anybody in those early days actually wanting to rush to get into an MP's office."

The East Belfast MP and MLA added: "So this suggestion that it should be open recruitment is nonsense.

"No member of parliament in Northern Ireland is going to allow somebody into their office that they cannot trust and friends of family and family themselves are the people I have always employed and I am unapologetic because my very life depended on it."

Mr Robinson said he was convinced the "right people" are working for him.

The DUP Leader also said his party was working on reducing the contentious issue of double-jobbing, whereby politicians occupy dual roles in the Assembly and Parliament, adding he would prefer to operate under one mandate himself.

Mr Robinson claimed he currently works 16-hour days, a work ethic "you cannot continue to do".

"There are some MPs (in the DUP) that are already indicating to me that they would not intend to stand in the Assembly next time round and that will continue as time goes on," he said.

The First Minister said a "phased" approach would be taken to resolve double, and in some cases triple, mandate issues.

However, he said many within the party would see it as necessary to have their leader in both Stormont and Westminster.

(PR/BMcC)