NORTHERN POLITICIANS must help create a “shared future” for the people of Northern Ireland, the former first minister and DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said when making his final speech at the Stormont Assembly yesterday.
Dr Paisley joined First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and other senior party figures in the Assembly chamber to mark the “milestone” of the end of its term – the first of the three Assemblies elected since 1998 to fully complete its four-year mandate.
The Assembly will be officially dissolved at midnight tonight, with Assembly elections taking place on May 5th. On its final day, the Assembly rushed through business, including justice and planning Bills and a plastic bag charge.
Dr Paisley said Northern Ireland was a better place now. “For the first time since the collapse of the Northern Ireland parliament in 1972, we have a democratically elected Assembly which has completed a full term without interruption,” he said.
It was an Assembly that had been “tested”, particularly after dissident republicans murdered two British soldiers and a PSNI officer two years ago, he said.
“Even in such times the foundation did not give way. Today, while we mark this milestone, our thoughts and prayers are with the broken-hearted of these families and indeed with the many victims of the past years,” he added.
“It is our solemn responsibility to ensure their sacrifice has not been in vain.”
Dr Paisley, who now sits in the House of Lords with his wife Eileen, said difficult decisions must be taken by the next Assembly. “We share this province and we have to make a shared future in it,” he said.
Mr Robinson said the Assembly achieved more than previous assemblies, including devolving policing and justice and creating jobs and inward investment. It had also confounded those who thought it could not succeed.
“When this term began I think most doubted that this institution would survive, but now nobody, not even the wreckers who want to bring devolution to an end, questions its stability or sustainability.”
Mr McGuinness said the Assembly had introduced legislation of benefit to the entire community and this was a “wonderful achievement”.
He recalled one meeting in 2003 with former British prime minister Tony Blair who was almost despairing of the Assembly being restored.
“I knew my fellow Ulstermen and women better than that,” added Mr McGuinness.
“I always had confidence that we could restore the institutions: it took five years but it was a momentous day on May 8th [2007] whenever the first minister at that time Ian Paisley and myself came together and effectively launched this adventure, which has lasted for four years.”
Mr McGuinness said he was “very honoured” to have worked with Dr Paisley and Mr Robinson.
Ulster Unionist Party leader Tom Elliott said MLAs must be the servants of the people.
He said UUP Ministers in the Departments of Health and Employment and Learning could look back on significant achievements. What was vital was that there was “much more productivity” from the next assembly, he added.
SDLP deputy leader Patsy McGlone hoped that “gradually”, as the Assembly bedded down, “we come to a point of respecting one another”.
He said the peace process had completed its task “and now the political process must deliver much, much more – people are looking to the Assembly to give us hope”.
Former Alliance leader Seán Neeson, who is retiring from the Assembly, said it was a significant achievement in the Assembly reaching its full term but much more needed to be done, particularly in creating a shared future.
