Former US Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement, has said he believes a power-sharing deal following tomorrow's elections in Northern Ireland is inevitable.
In an interview with RTÉ News, he said he believed the people of Northern Ireland wanted it to happen.
However, he confessed he did not think it would take this long to come to the point where he believed a deal would be possible.
He said all parties had 'come a long way' and that Sinn Féin's decision to join policing boards was a 'significant step'.
Mr Mitchell also said the US still had a 'huge' role to play in stimulating investment and trade in Northern Ireland.
He added that the province is still a large part of his 'heart and emotions'.
