David Trimble funeral: Sinn Fein speaker Alex Maskey says Assembly exists due to the former UUP leader
Outgoing Stormont Speaker Alex Maskey said it was only right MLAs were recalled to pay tribute to Lord Trimble.
“There is no doubt that David Trimble took risks and took decisions often in the face of fierce opposition when it would have been personally easier not to do so,” he said.
“The Good Friday Agreement and this Assembly do exist because of him.”
Mr Maskey also noted the passing of many significant political leaders in recent years, including former DUP leader Ian Paisley, SDLP leader Mr Hume and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness.
“I would therefore close by saying that while many of you in this chamber today may not have met them, the legacy of realising the potential of this Assembly and the agreements that were hard won now falls to yourselves.”
Alliance Party MLA Andrew Muir described Lord Trimble as a “complex character” and that while he would not have agreed with him on some matters, he said he made a “significant, substantial and positive contribution”.
“Northern Ireland is, thankfully, a very different place now than it was back in 1998, but we should not kid our self that we don’t have much further to travel. We do.
“The prize of a truly reconciled people, a place where everyone is proud to call home, and fully functioning institutions sadly remains yet to be achieved.
“With so many of the giants of the peace process now no longer with us, current and future generations turn to us all here to take the baton on.”