A powersharing deal in the North between the DUP and Sinn Féin is inevitable, former US Senator George Mitchell said today.
The senator - who chaired the negotiations which led to the 1998 Belfast Agreement - said he believed the people of Northern Ireland wanted a powersharing regime re-established.
George Mitchell
In an interview with RTÉ ahead of tomorrow's Stormont elections, Mr Mitchell described Sinn Féin's decision in January to support the North's police service as a "significant" development in the process.
He also spoke of how the US still has a big role to play in developing trade and investment in Northern Ireland.
There are 108 seats in the Assembly across 18 constituencies at stake in tomorrow's election. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm tomorrow, with the first results due after lunchtime on Friday.
More than 19,000 postal votes have also been issued - down by 30 per cent of the combined general and council elections in 2005 and a 3 per cent drop on the 2003 Assembly poll.
Voters going to the stations must bring with them a driving licence, passport, Senior SmartPass or electoral identity card bearing current photographic identification.
Environmentalists have also urged voters to walk or take public transport when going to cast their vote in a bid to reduce their carbon footprint.
The Energy Saving Trust NI made the call after warning that a third of Northern Ireland's carbon emissions comes from road transport.
Spokesman Noel Williams said: "Climate change is not just a problem for Governments and industry; it is a problem for individuals and communities too.
"The good news is that the vast majority of the electorate recognise that climate change is a problem requiring action but unfortunately our research also shows that only 20 per cent of people are claiming to take significant actions to reduce their energy use.
"All the political parties agree that climate change is one of the biggest political challenges facing us all and that is why on March 7th we are asking each and every voter to make sure that their vote has a real and positive impact on the environment by either walking or using public transport when going to the polling station."
PA