Speaking to ABC radio on Friday morning, Demetriou said of Hird: "He's got to fulfil his obligations to the code, in respect to his suspension. If he does that, then of course he's welcome back."
Hird's future was cleared up following an Essendon board meeting on Wednesday, where it was determined the suspended Bombers coach would remain in the top job for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Hird's coaching career was seemingly in doubt after his wife, Tania, made some disparaging comments about Demetriou and the AFL on the ABC's 7:30 program on the eve of Essendon's season opener.
But, after Wednesday's board meeting, Essendon has declared the Hirds have agreed to bury the hatchet and move on.
"I'm pleased that they resolved it, for Essendon and their supporters," Demetriou said.
"I'm pleased that the club can move forward."
Hird's suspension expires in August, but the club plans to have interim coach Mark Thompson lead the team through this year's finals series - if Essendon makes the eight. Hird will contribute in some capacity but won't be the senior coach.
Meanwhile, on Thursday night at the MCG, old rivals Richmond and Carlton kicked off round two in front of just 62,037 fans.
Demetriou said the crowd was disappointing but not surprising.
"It was probably down on what we thought. We probably thought we'd get closer to 70,000," Demetriou said.
"We've said all along this was not our perfect start, but in an ideal world (we'd) start at the MCG with a bang. Get a big crowd, it's the first game, that's what we would've preferred."
The AFL had a staggered start to the season, with Collingwood and Fremantle opening the season a fortnight ago.
The MCG was unavailable for the first two weeks of the season, due to cricket commitments whereby the Victorian Bushrangers are given priority in case the team makes the Sheffield Shield final.
Demetriou welcomed the news that the Victorian government was set to contribute $10 million to a high-performance cricket centre at the Junction Oval, which would allow the AFL to start the season at the MCG in future years.
But the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, staged in Australia and New Zealand, will delay the start to the AFL season next year.
"(It was) not surprising, given it wasn't the opening round," Demetriou said about the crowd.
"Again it reinforces why we're keen to start the season at the MCG."
Twitter: @AFL_BenGuthrie
