Ms Long has said: "On behalf of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, I want to express my deepest condolences on the sad passing of former President of the United States James Earl Carter Jr.

"President Carter embodied a devotion to public service, leaving a proud legacy of peacebuilding and social justice that continues to be felt across the world today. In my local context, his public intervention in 1977 marked the beginning of what would become the US Government’s active involvement in the quest for peace in Northern Ireland. President Carter created a critical precedent for his successors – setting the United States on a path where it would play an irreplaceable role in bringing the Troubles to an end. The people of Northern Ireland, particularly our post-conflict generations, owe him special gratitude for his efforts.

"Beyond our shores, I would also wish to pay fulsome tribute to President Carter’s extraordinary humanitarian work and, in particular, his decades-long involvement in building homes for disadvantaged communities with Habitat for Humanity. Today, in a world so badly damaged by poverty and inequity, thousands of people globally have the security of a roof over their heads because of this work.

"Whether promoting peace and human rights, pioneering steps toward renewable energy and land conservation, or driving the inclusion of women and ethnic minorities at the highest levels of government, President Carter was a leader in the truest sense of the word.

"My party and I send our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones and colleagues, and hope they are immensely proud of and draw some comfort from the high esteem in which he will be remembered across the world."