Ian Paisley tonight praised Sinn Féin for keeping its word on power-sharing despite the dissident threat.
The former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader said he was encouraged and hoped relations between First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness would “steady”.
The two parties are still negotiating the handing over of policing powers from London to Stormont.
Mr Paisley told RTE: “What encourages me is the fact that, so far, the Sinn Féiners have kept their word and there’s no doubt that there’s a hatred coming to them from people that once were with them.”
He said Martin McGuinness was very fair and he had a good relationship with him.
“I think there’s no reason why that relationship should not steady itself with Peter in a minefield that is very explosive in Ulster politics and they need to work with great care,” he added.
“I don’t think that the majority of Roman Catholics and the majority of Protestants would go back to what we had. There’s a great relief, people are beginning to get back to normality.”
PA