This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

The family of Ian Paisley remains at his bedside in Ulster hospital where he is critically ill.

Paisley was admitted to the east Belfast hospital on Sunday and is understood to be suffering from respiratory problems.

In a statement on Monday, the 85-year-old's wife, Lady Paisley, requested "the family's privacy be respected at this difficult time".

Among those at his bedside are his son Ian Jr, who succeeded his father as MP for North Antrim.

Democratic Unionist party colleagues have been briefed about his condition at the Northern Ireland assembly.

The DUP MP for Lagan Valley, Jeffrey Donaldson, appealed to everyone in Northern Ireland to pray for the DUP founder and former first minister.

"Whatever your political viewpoint I know that his family would deeply appreciate your prayers. Ian is a man who always prayed for those in need across our community. Now we can do the same for him," Donaldson said.

Last February, Paisley was fitted with a pacemaker after emergency surgery in St Thomas's hospital in London. He had been taken ill in the House of Lords, where he is known as Lord Bannside.

At the end of January, more than 3,000 people gathered to hear him preach his farewell service at Martyrs Memorial church in east Belfast.

The service marked the official end of his six decades of full-time ministry.