The SDLP's John Dallat (below), another MLA from Harry Gregg's part of the world, says he's proud that the goalkeeper was from Windsor Avenue - a working class area of Coleraine.

"Windsor Avenue has lost a hero - Coleraine has lost an icon," he adds.

Image source, NI Assembly

The UUP's Mike Nesbitt quotes the modest Mr Gregg talking about his actions at the air crash in Munich: "Only a fool would do what I did."

The Strangford MLA says he can't think of a country in the world that would not rejoice in saying Mr Gregg "was a son of this country".

Harry Gregg was "a true hero and a true legend", says the DUP's Maurice Bradley, who knew the former goalkeeper and Coleraine man.

"I loved listening to Harry, particularly when he started recounting his football stories," says the East Londonderry MLA, who's wearing a Coleraine Football Club tie.

Image source, PA Media

That sense of "sporting legend" is echoed by Sinn Féin's East Londonderry MLA Caoimhe Archibald.

"Being from Coleraine and from a family of United fans I grew up knowing about Harry Gregg and his story has inspired many from the local area as well as across the world," she tells the assembly.

Former Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Harry Gregg has died, aged 87, and MLAs are paying tribute to the Coleraine man.

He was hailed as a hero of the 1958 Munich air disaster, rescuing team-mates and other passengers after the plane crash in which 23 were killed.

He joined United in December 1957 for £23,500, making him the world's most expensive goalkeeper at the time, and was voted the best at the following year's World Cup.

East Londonderry independent MLA Claire Sugden has requested time to pay tribute to Mr Gregg and that's been granted by the speaker.

Ms Sugden tells the assembly he was "our hero in so many ways" but that description "gave him no comfort" from what he'd witnessed.

"When others sought to immortalise him in a sculpture, he spoke with unfiltered honesty against the idea and rather advocated for a foundation, which aimed to inspire young people so that they might follow their dreams as Harry was able to follow his."

Ms Sugden adds that Mr Gregg's "height and lean, straight frame and - usually - hat gave him such presence" and on the occasions she met him his "candid conversations, sharp wit and incredible stories made him the best company".

The DUP's Robin Newton tells the assembly he regarded the former Ulster Unionist MLA Dr Ian Adamson as a friend.

He says Dr Adamson was a "man of great distinction" but one who was "extremely humble"

Image source, NI Assembly

"He had this ability to cross the chamber and be friends but yet he was indeed a strong unionist, a unionist with a capital U and never at any stage did he forsake those unionist principles," says the East Belfast MLA of his former constituency counterpart.

Mr Newton tells the chamber that the vast number of mourners at Dr Adamson's funeral was proof that "someone special has passed".

Image source, NI Assembly

UUP MLA Robbie Butler (above) thanks Sinéad Bradley of the SDLP for "speaking so passionately" about her father PJ.

He pays tribute to Ulster Unionist Rev Robert "Bob" Coulter and former Alliance Party MLA Seamus Close.

"I can tell you hand on heart that I respected everything he stood for," he says of his fellow Lagan Valley man.

The SDLP's John Dallat says that unlike most of the MLAs present he knew all of the late members personally.

He pays tribute to his former SDLP colleagues but he makes particular mention of the ex-Alliance Party MLA Seamus Close, describing him as "an amazing individual".

Image source, NI Assembly

The DUP's Trevor Clarke talks in particular about Wilson Clyde, the former MLA for South Antrim.

"He was a community man and he wanted to see the community thrive," says Mr Clarke.

Trevor Lunn (below), the Alliance Party MLA for Lagan Valley, says Seamus Close was the "reason I joined Alliance in 1989".

"He was a very, very gifted debater in this assembly and in [Lisburn City Council]," says Mr Lunn.

"He actually did 38 years in council, unbroken service - that's more than half a lifetime, I don't know how he stuck it but he did."

Image source, NI Assembly

Pam Cameron, a DUP MLA in South Antrim, speaks about former party colleague Wilson Clyde, who represented the same constituency.

"He was a bit of a character, a farmer, he was a very proud unionist and he was incredibly loyal in every way," she adds, telling the assembly that she used to work in his office.

Health Minister Robin Swann tells the assembly that Rev Robert Coulter was a "friend and mentor to me".

Mr Swann, a former Ulster Unionist leader, says the ex-North Antrim MLA was as comfortable "sitting at a kitchen table up a lane in Clough or sitting down to tea with Nelson Mandela".

Image source, UUP

He says Rev Coulter "had a story for every occasion" and it was "only at the end of those stories that you could tell by the glint in his eye whether he'd actually been winding you up or not".

"I once said to him that he'd taught me everything I knew of the craft of politics - his answer to me, with that same smile, was: 'Yes, but I didn't teach you everything I know.'"

Mr Swann also tells MLAs that Rev Coulter's wife Elizabeth died a few weeks ago.

SDLP MLA Sinéad Bradley (below) makes an emotional speech in tribute to her late father PJ Bradley, who died in 2017 - she has followed in his footsteps by representing South Down in the assembly.

She says that "Daddy, as he was known in our house, held one rule above all others - his respect for human life was paramount and his commitment to peace unwavering".

Image source, NI Assembly

She says projects in South Down, such as securing a village green for his parish, gave him the greatest pleasure.

"It would not be possible for me to even begin putting on record the vast range of achievements Daddy accomplished in his lifetime," Ms Bradley adds proudly.

Sinn Féin's Liz Kimmins pays tribute to Pat O'Rawe, who preceded her as an MLA for Newry and Armagh.

DUP backbencher Thomas Buchanan (below) has fond memories of his friend and former colleague Oliver Gibson, who he says "brought me into politics".

Image source, NI Assembly

"Oliver was someone who lived for politics," says Mr Buchanan of the former West Tyrone MLA, who died in 2018, external.

"People are still talking passionately about Oliver Gibson and the legacy that he left."

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long tells the assembly that Seamus Close (below) was one of the first people to join her party when it was formed in 1970.

Mr Close died after a short illness last year.

"[He was] driven by his belief that the horror which was unfolding in our streets needed to stop and the Northern Ireland needed to change," she says of the former Lagan Valley representative.

"He tried to instill respect at the heart of everything he died."

UUP leader Steve Aiken pays special tributes to his party's former MLAs Rev Robert Coulter and Dr Ian Adamson.

He says Rev Coulter, who died in 2018, "championed the cause of special needs education" and "we remember him very fondly".

Image source, NI Assembly

The UUP leader says Dr Adamson was a man of "many talents and interests" and a former lord mayor of Belfast.

Dr Adamson, who died in January last year, external, wrote many books and made a "huge contribution to cultural and political life", adds Mr Aiken.

Nichola Mallon of the SDLP pays particular tribute to her former party colleagues PJ Bradley and Donovan McClelland.

She says Mr Bradley's loyalty was to the "people of South Down before anyone else" and that he was a patriot "in the true sense of the world".

Image source, NI Assembly

Ms Mallon reflects on the contribution Mr McClelland "made to peace and politics on this island".

She tells the assembly he was a key part of the SDLP team that helped bring the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement over the line.

Image source, NI Assembly

John O'Dowd takes a moment to pay tribute to former Sinn Féin MLA Pat O'Rawe, who also served as the party's first mayor of Armagh city.

"I worked along with Pat in the assembly in a number of committees in preparing for the establishment of the assembly, pre-2007," adds Mr O'Dowd.

Mr O'Dowd also speaks about the "quiet, humble way" in which Rev Robert Coulter represented his constituents, adding: "I think we could learn a lot of lessons from how Rev Coulter went about his business."

Image source, NI Assembly

First Minister Arlene Foster offers her sympathy to the families of all of the former MLAs who died over the past three years while Stormont was vacant.

"It's important that we recognise the service that was given at that time by those members," she says, "sometimes in difficult and challenging times."

She tells the assembly that former DUP MLAs Wilson Clyde and Oliver Gibson, who she says "served with distinction".

Speaker Alex Maskey is offering MLAs the chance to pay tribute to eight former members who died during the three-year period when the assembly was not sitting.

They were:

• PJ Bradley - SDLP, South Down
• Pat O'Rawe - Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh
• Donovan McClelland - SDLP, South Antrim
• Oliver Gibson - DUP, West Tyrone
• Rev Robert Coulter - UUP, North Antrim
• Dr Ian Adamson - UUP, East Belfast
• Wilson Clyde - DUP, South Antrim
• Seamus Close - Alliance, Lagan Valley

Image source, NI Assembly

Mr Maskey makes the point that while the assembly takes time to remember former members after their death, that was not possible for the eight who died between 2017 and the start of this year.

Time has therefore been set aside this afternoon for respects to be paid to those ex-members, most of them who served in the first assembly in 1998.

"I want to acknowledge the significant public service and sacrifice that they made toward their constituencies and our society as a whole," says Mr Maskey.

"We should not overlook the problems faced in the first terms of the assembly and the pressures imposed on those who were members at that time."

There's a word of warning from Speaker Alex Maskey about MLAs' conduct during debates in the chamber.

It comes after TUV leader Jim Allister and Finance Minister Conor Murphy had what Mr Maskey describes as "clearly a heated exchange" during question time last week.

Image source, NI Assembly

The speaker says he's written to both men to remind them about the standards expected of them and the matter is now closed.

He tells MLAs that while there'll be plenty of occasions on which they disagree with one another it should be possible to challenge opinions "robustly but with respect, courtesy, good temper and moderation".

"At a time when there have been community divisions," he says, "we should be careful to set an example which helps to minimise those tensions rather than add fuel to them."

Image source, NI Assembly

You can watch the proceedings live by clicking on the play button on the video at the top of this page.

Northern Ireland Assembly

In just a few minutes MLAs will enter the chamber for what could be a long day - the timetable below shows the assembly is due to sit until about 19:00.

So, what's coming up?

An hour has been set aside at the start of today's business for tributes to former MLAs - the Speaker Alex Maskey will lead that.

Image source, NI Assembly

There'll be a couple of quick pieces of housekeeping - changes in membership of scrutiny committees - which are expected to be ratified without any fuss.

Then into the first of the main events of the day - debates on the annulment of statutory rules regarding sea fishing after Brexit. Sounds complicated but don't worry - we'll explain in more detail what that involves when we get closer to the time.

Four executive ministers will then face questions from MLAs, including Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill who will be first up.

Click here to find the order paper, external, which includes more details what's up for discussion.

Image source, AFP

Thanks for joining us for another week of live coverage of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Today we've got a full plenary session of the assembly, including four ministerial question times.

Look out for Michelle O'Neill's first ever Executive Office question time as deputy first minister.

Today's business kicks off at 12:00 and you can watch the full proceedings and follow our commentary throughout the day.