Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Sammy Wilson said Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams gave him a tree as a gift to mark the 125th anniversary of the GAA, and he planted it in his own garden

Sammy Wilson has said a tree in his garden, given to him as a gift from the leader of Sinn Féin, is a symbol of political progress in Northern Ireland.

He told the BBC's Talkback programme that Gerry Adams gave him an ash tree to mark the 125th anniversary of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

The Democratic Unionist Party member told the story as he reminisced about his time in the Stormont Assembly.

Mr Wilson is stepping down as an MLA to concentrate on his job as an MP.

The move comes ahead of a forthcoming ban on "double-jobbing" at Stormont, which will come into force next year.

Speaking from his home on Tuesday, he said: "Most of my life in politics was dominated by people being killed, bombs going off, disruption in the streets, terrorism, etc. We have moved on from that and moved on very substantially."

He added: "When I look down the garden, there is a symbol of how Northern Ireland has changed."

'Taken aback'

The DUP member described how, during his tenure as finance minister, Mr Adams came to ask for permission to plant a tree in the grounds of Stormont to mark 125 years since the foundation of the GAA.

Image caption Gerry Adams thanked Sammy Wilson as he unveiled the GAA tree during a rainy ceremony at Stormont in 2010

"I think he expected me to say 'take yourself off, I'm not having any GAA tree in the grounds of Stormont'," Mr Wilson said.

"I actually thought it was a step forward, that here was a body which we regarded as a nationalist sporting body, wanting to be recognised in the grounds of the parliament of Northern Ireland.

"I said 'I have no difficulty with that' and he was quite taken aback.

"Then I kind of joked with him and said 'Gerry, it's a bit of a change. It used to be, you lot wanted to plant bombs here, now you want to plant trees'. And at least he had the humour to laugh about it."

Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Sammy Wilson and Gerry Adams joined a Mexican wave during Barack Obama's visit to Belfast in 2013

Mr Wilson said that a few days later, the Sinn Féin leader presented him with a personal gift of an ash tree that he had grown from seed.

"He said 'there's a wee thing just to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the GAA'. I've got it planted down the garden now. I suppose that's an indication of the changes that there have been in Northern Ireland," Mr Wilson added.

The DUP member has been a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly since its foundation in 1998 and is one of its best known and most animated speakers.

He told the programme he was a "strong supporter" of devolution and it was "difficult decision" to choose between his jobs as an MP and a Stormont MLA.

Image caption Sammy Wilson served one year as Northern Ireland environment minister and four years as finance minister

Mr Wilson said he opted for Westminster as he did not expect he would get a third opportunity to be a Stormont minister because there were younger and "very able" people already in the posts.

"There is no right that I would have to those positions and I supposed that if I was going to be a backbencher, I've decided better to be a backbencher in the bigger theatre of Westminster that the assembly."

He said it had been a "great privilege" to serve his constituents during his time in Stormont.