Paisley cleared over holiday home

Mr Paisley bought the holiday home from developer Seymour Sweeney

Ian Paisley Jnr has been cleared of breaking Assembly rules over his purchase of a holiday home from developer Seymour Sweeney.

The Stormont Standards Committee probed the transaction after a complaint from Ballymena unionist Lyle Cubitt.

Mr Cubitt claimed that the DUP MLA had been given a lower price than other buyers for the property.

He said that this amounted to a "partial gift" and that Mr Paisley had therefore breached Assembly guidelines.

However, Stormont Interim Standards Commissioner Tom Frawley told the committee on Monday that the estate agent involved in the development considered Mr Paisley had paid a "fair price" for the holiday home.

Mr Frawley added that the North Antrim assembly member subsequently had no interest to register in respect of the purchase.

Mr Paisley said he was "delighted but not surprised" by the ruling which followed an eight-month investigation.

He said the allegations were "damaging and hurtful".

"Indeed they partly resulted in me having to stand down as a minister in government, as a result of the disproportionate media circus that went around with the claims that were made," he said.

Mr Paisley also said he had instructed his solicitor to pursue a "serious defamation" which resulted from the claims.

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