Former foe Gerry Adams leads Peter Robinson well-wishers

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was among the first to wish Peter Robinson well in retirement after the North’s First Minister and DUP leader announced he would be stepping down.

Once implacable foes, the two were central to the landmark deal that saw a previously unthinkable coalition of Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists assume the reins of power at Stormont in 2006.

“Good luck 2 Peter Robinson,” Mr Adams tweeted.

Good luck 2 Peter Robinson.

— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) November 19, 2015

The North’s former secretary Peter Hain, who was recently made a peer, hailed Mr Robinson’s contribution to the peace process.

“If Ian Paisley was the unionist pilot of the peace process then Peter Robinson was the unionist navigator, an indispensable part of the project that has established self-government and a permanent settlement between bitter old enemies,” said the former Labour minister.

.@GerryAdamsSF wishing Peter Robinson the best in his retirement pic.twitter.com/yp9QAe4RAt

— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) November 19, 2015

“He will stand tall because of that and because of his leadership as First Minister.”

DUP party chairman Lord Morrow paid tribute to Mr Robinson.

“Peter Robinson was a founding member of our party,” he said. “He has devoted his life to the cause of the advancement of unionism in Northern Ireland.

“As deputy leader and director of elections he was the tactician behind all of the major advances made by the DUP over the course of the last 15 years. As party leader and First Minister of Northern Ireland he has led our party and our country through some of the most delicate and difficult phases of the political process.

“There were times when lesser men would have given up and simply walked away, but Peter endured and has worked hard for the people of Northern Ireland.

“His contribution to Ulster society has been immense. Northern Ireland is a better place today than it was when he assumed the office of First Minister.”