The former Progressive Unionist Party leader, David Ervine, made an immense contribution to the negotiation of the Good Friday agreement, Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness, said yesterday.
"We think he is a huge loss to political life on the island of Ireland," said Mr McGuinness, following a meeting of the party's officer board in Dublin yesterday afternoon.
"I have to say that people were also very saddened by the untimely death of David Ervine. I think we are all at this time concerned to express to his wife, his two sons and his grandchildren our very deepest sympathies.
"We think he is a huge loss to political life on the island of Ireland. We think he made an immense contribution, coming from the community that he came from, to be part of the negotiations that led to the Good Friday agreement."
He had provided "a very steady voice in favour of people working together. We always felt very privileged and honoured to work with him in pursuance of the implementation of the Good Friday agreement," he said.
The Assembly also paid tribute to Mr Ervine adjourning to commemorate the member from East Belfast who was first elected in 1998. His funeral takes place on Friday after a service at the East Belfast Mission.