Paisley in hospital for tests Northern Ireland's former first minister Ian Paisley has been admitted to hospital for tests. NORTHERN Ireland's former Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley has been admitted to hospital for tests. The party stalwart was treated for a heart condition last year and has been taken into the Ulster Hospital, near Belfast, a spokeswoman for the hospital said on Sunday. "He is in hospital for tests but he is in good spirits and his family has asked for privacy," she added. Mr Paisley, 87, now known as Lord Bannside, led the DUP into power-sharing at Stormont with Sinn Fein in 2007. In February 2012, the 87-year-old spent a week on life support suffering from heart failure but returned to public life after recovering. The previous year he had a pacemaker fitted in London after falling ill at Westminster. Paramedics had to revive him following his collapse in parliament. Mr Paisley stood down as Northern Ireland's first minister in 2008 and ended 60 years of full-time ministry in January 2012. The veteran unionist and fundamentalist Protestant preacher has been a colossus of Northern Ireland politics. He was an MP for North Antrim and a divisive figure at a time when an armed conflict which killed thousands was at its worst.