There has been much commentary over the past few weeks about the DUP Executive's decision, taken with the support of over 90% of our delegates, to enter an all-party Executive in May, and the meeting Dr Paisley and colleagues had with Sinn Fein which was approved by a 15-1 vote by the Party Officers (Jim Allister being the opposing vote).

For my part I believe each of the party's decisions was right and I am sickened by those who, as they part company with us, try to rubbish the significant gains of the past few years made by the DUP.

Decisions

I accept that the decisions have not been easy to take nor pleasant to accept, but only those in denial or those wedded to nit-picking perfection would fail to see that, in spite of the legacy left by the UUP, the DUP has massively transformed the situation and safeguarded unionist interests. I am even more revolted by the UUP smear that Ian Paisley has done what he criticised Trimble and Empey for doing and the impudent and thoroughly dishonest claim that the UUP did the "heavy lifting" which made the present agreement possible.

Let me remind them that Trimble and Empey ushered Sinn Fein into government while republicans held all their illegal weaponry, continued with terrorist activities including murder and ran their criminal empire at full tilt. Moreover, the UUP allowed Sinn Fein into government while they opposed the police, often violently, and refused to even recognise our courts. The UUP allowed Sinn Fein authority in government departments without the means to control any undemocratic actions and gave them a role on north-south bodies without any accountability.

The DUP on the other hand refused to enter an executive which would include Sinn Fein until after decommissioning had taken place, paramilitary and criminal activity ended, support for the police and courts was demonstrated and accountability measures were put in place to control Sinn Fein activity in government departments and on north- south bodies.

Those who cannot see the difference between those two positions should not be allowed near politics. That, no doubt, is why those with no discernment or vision were dispatched to political oblivion by the electorate.

The difference is simple. The DUP forced republicans to transform and conform. The DUP got the conditions right and got the controls in place to safeguard the interests of unionism. That, for me, was the only basis for moving forward. As for the claim that the UUP did the "heavy-lifting" , I can authoritatively state that the greatest difficulty the DUP has faced over the four years it has been negotiating has been clawing back losses made by the UUP. Negotiating a fair deal is a tough enough assignment of itself without having to unravel, defuse or eliminate the concessions handed to republicans by the UUP.

Lamentable

The lamentable failure and ineptitude of the UUP added to the difficulty of our task. Far from doing the heavy-lifting, the UUP's legacy added a greater burden for the DUP within the process.

So what of the prospects for the future? During the Assembly election campaign I agreed with a comment made many months before by Gerry Adams that working in the Executive would be "a battle a day". While I notice that Martin McGuinness is trying to distance himself from his leader's phrase I still stand by my remarks.

The comment was never intended to suggest that on many day to day issues there would not be common ground. Of course there will be. The socio-economic outlook of many nationalists and unionists is not dissimilar. The desire to improve the lot of our community will be shared by all Executive parties. However, if you ask me: "Do you trust Sinn Fein?" I will reply: "I trust them to speak like republicans, think like republicans and act like republicans."

I am not blinded from the fact that Sinn Fein is committed to promoting and working towards a united Ireland. The DUP, however, is committed to maintaining and strengthening the link between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Martin McGuinness was pushing for a united Ireland last month, he is pushing for it today and even though Sinn Fein have publicly supported the police in this part of the UK and announced support for the courts of this part of the UK they will still be trying to alter Northern Ireland's constitutional direction in the future. Given this racing certainty we can expect that where an issue arises that can be turned to the advantage of the republican goal it will be exploited by Sinn Fein.

There is nothing either to be surprised about or feared in acknowledging that reality. As long as Sinn Fein seeks to advance its political aspirations in a constitutional and democratic manner, a political battle a day is par for the course in any modern democracy. However, to deny that it will occur or to be lulled into believing that the Executive is comprised of people who hold the same political goals and intentions is patently absurd and politically perilous.

The framework within which the constitutional question is to be settled may be agreed and the means to dispose of it may have been settled but the constitutional question itself has manifestly not been settled.

There will be some naïve souls who will say: "But surely there is no constitutional issue involved in education, regional development, agriculture or health?" Wrong. The work of every department can be skewed towards an all-Ireland agenda. It was for this reason that the DUP held out for fundamental changes to be made to the Belfast Agreement. It was for this reason that controls and vetoes now exist in the new arrangements. They are not there to stop or hinder the smooth working of government. They are there to stop any abuse of the levers of power.

Cordial

Equally, having a cordial relationship with the Republic is to be desired and having co-operation for our mutual benefit is worth advancing, there is no part of me that wants to dilute my unionism or enlarge political north-southery.

I put republicans on notice that they will be operating within a process that will not be a one-way street. The DUP is not merely in the business of guarding against attempts to advance the nationalist goal of a united Ireland but of promoting, maintaining and strengthening the union. The DUP openly admits it has its own agenda. We are convinced the arrangements we have secured significantly fortify the link with Great Britain. We intend to build on the east-west relationship and reinforce the Union.

Prospect

I point out these realities not to deflate the prospect of moving forward and making progress but to ensure that the basis for moving forward is understood and soundly based. For the new Executive to work, the parameters need to be understood and each party needs to respect the very real differences which do exist and instead learn to build on those areas where interests are shared.

If parties can concentrate on those issues and areas which can improve the lives of all our people rather than chasing constitutional moonbeams then a bright future awaits. Prospects never before imagined lie before us if we reach out and grab the opportunities. The DUP is determined to make a difference and will work earnestly with those who also want to improve the lives and livelihoods of our people. Equally those who seek to push at the constitutional boundaries can expect total and determined opposition.