The DUP North Antrim MP has spoken to Belfast-based Irish language radio station Raidio Failte, after being approached by one of its reporters at the launch of an exhibition of a painting last week.

Dr Paisley said that the interview had been a “friendly enough thing”.

“I don’t think the Roman Catholic Church and St Patrick have anything in common,” he told the News Letter in the wake of the radio interview.

“He was not sent by the Pope, he had never met him. He came as an ordinary person and never in his ministry – as far as we are aware – did he mention the Pope, or the Mass, or the worship of Mary.

“His message is purely New Testament. He was certainly not a Romanist.”

The former DUP leader also told the News Letter he had a “fair respect for Roman Catholic people – and they don’t attack me at all now”.

He said: “They realise that I stood by what I said and carried it through. I think they have a sneaking regard for me.”

Fergus O’hIr, who is station manager at Raidio Failte, said that they had been interested in speaking to Dr Paisley in his capacity as a former First Minister, and that “we are interested in showing that the Irish language is a common culture and the heritage of all of is who live here”.

He added: “We feel it’s important to keep the Irish language as something which everyone can enjoy.”

The interview is to be broadcast on Raidio Failte 107.1FM tomorrow at 1pm, and Mr O’hIr says they believe “there will be a lot of interest in it”.

He added: “I am sure that people will be very happy about what he has to say.”

It is not the first time the station has featured unionists and Protestant communities on its shows. Former DUP Culture Minister Edwin Poots has been on air, and the station broadcast special programmes on the anniversary of the death of former PUP leader David Ervine, a service from Fitzroy Presbyterian Church in south Belfast, and interviewed people living in the Shankill area “about their attitudes to the Irish language”, said Mr O’hIr.