{{Infobox Politician | name=Ian Paisley, Jr, MLA
| image=
| term_start=
| term_end=
| predecessor=
| successor=
| birth_date=[[1966]]
| birth_place=[[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]
| constituency=[[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|North Antrim]]
| party=[[Democratic Unionist Party]]
| office=[[Member of the Legislative Assembly|MLA]]
| spouse=Fiona Paisley
| website=http://www.ipjr.net/
}}

'''Ian Paisley, Jr''', [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|MLA]] (born [[1966]] in [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]) is a member of the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]] for the [[Democratic Unionist Party]] and an author. He is the son of the party founder and leader, the Rev. [[Ian Paisley]].

== Background ==
Born in Belfast in 1966, Paisley is the youngest child of [[Ian Paisley]] and his wife [[Eileen Paisley]]. He has three sisters, Sharon, Rhonda and Cherith, and a twin-brother, Kyle. After leaving primary school, he was educated at Shaftesbury House College and [[Methodist College Belfast]], before gaining admission to the [[Queen's University of Belfast]]. At university, he read Modern History and Irish Politics, and he was awarded a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] (Hons.) and [[Master of Social Science|MSSc]] respectively. After finishing his post-graduate studies, he worked for his father as a political researcher and parliamentary aide. In 1990, he married his wife Fiona, and they have three children, Emily, Lucy-Jayne and Thomas. He is a member of the [[Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster]].

== Political career ==
In 1996, Paisley was elected to the [[Northern Ireland Forum]] for [[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|North Antrim]]. Then, in 1998 he was again returned for the constituency to the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]]. He is one of three DUP members who have taken their seats on the [[Northern Ireland Policing Board]], and is also the party's justice spokesman and press officer.

He is expected to contest the party leadership when his father retires, as well as his father's [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Westminster]] constituency of [[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|North Antrim]].

== Controversy ==
In 2005, Ian Paisley Jr came under criticism for his vocal objections to [[same-sex marriage]]s. Upon learning that [[David Trimble]]'s aide, Steven King, had married his partner in [[Canada]], Paisley Jr was quoted as saying, "It is really astounding that David Trimble should have had a man such as this giving him advice - and must surely cast grave doubts on his own political judgment. I think these sorts of relationships are immoral, offensive and obnoxious".<ref>''Belfast Telegraph'', 31st January, 2005</ref> [[episcopi vagantes|Vagant bishop]] [[Pat Buckley]] described him as the "baby dinosaur of the 21st century", and the Northern Ireland-based gay men's advocacy group, The Rainbow Project, called for his removal from the Policing Board.

== Books ==
* ''Reasonable Doubt: the Case for the [[Ulster Defence Regiment|UDR]] 4''
* ''Peace Deal? A critique of the [[Belfast Agreement]]''

== Trivia==
* He is a member of the British Motorcycle Federation
* He collects 19th century political [[cartoon]]s
* He was awarded the [[Royal Humane Society]] award for bravery in 1999, after helping to rescue a drowning child
* He was mocked by [[Sinn Féin]] [[MLA]] Catriona Ruane during a [[Question Time]]-style debate at [[Queen's University, Belfast]], where Ms Ruane referred to him as "Ian Óg", the [[Irish Gaelic|Irish]] term for "young"

== See also ==
* [[Ian Paisley]]
* [[Democratic Unionist Party]]
* [[Unionism (Ireland)|Unionism]]
* [[Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.ipjr.net/ Ian Paisley Jr's website]
*[http://www.dup.org.uk Democratic Unionist Party]

== References ==
<references/>

{{Persondata
|NAME=Paisley, Ian
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Northern Ireland politician
|DATE OF BIRTH=[[1966]]
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}

[[Category:1966 births|Paisley Jr, Ian]]
[[Category:Democratic Unionist Party politicians|Paisley Jr, Ian]]
[[Category:Living people|Paisley Jr, Ian]]
[[Category:People from Belfast|Paisley Jr, Ian]]
[[Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast|Paisley Jr, Ian]]
[[Category:Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly|Paisley Jr, Ian]]
[[Category:Identical twins|Paisley Jr, Ian]]