Ireland's Catholic bishops will not be telling people how to vote in the forthcoming referendum on the Belfast Agreement, the Catholic primate, Dr Sean Brady, has said.

He believes the Belfast Agreement "gives great hope for the future", and has the potential "to remove the nightmare forever".

Ireland was "at a historic crossroads", and the church would be encouraging people to read the agreement document and to consider seriously what is involved for themselves, in the context of a better existence in Northern Ireland. They should also remember future generations, and not just their own community, he said. The church will also be urging everyone to vote, he said.

The agreement deserved a fair hearing, he said. It could create a new situation where people can have partnership and greater trust, with a return of respect for life, property, and well-being.

The day it was signed was "potentially one of the most significant in Irish history". He thanked God for the negotiators, but in particular for Senator George Mitchell "who was an inspiration to everyone".

One important ongoing issue for the church would be consoling the bereaved, an issue which was related to the release of prisoners, he said. The church would continue to advocate a change of hearts and minds, not just of institutions. The work of reconciliation had really to begin yet.

Dr Brady commended the work of the churches in their efforts to overcome sectarianism. He referred to the 1993 inter-church joint document on sectarianism which described it as "a religious problem and one the churches in Ireland cannot ignore".

Much needed to be done but "specially, coming in from the outside" he felt reluctant to criticise people's efforts.

He would rather salute the forgiveness preached and practised. He referred to such people as the former Senator Gordon Wilson and Mr Mick McGoldrick, father of the taxi-man, Michael McGoldrick, who was killed near Portadown in July 1996.

He referred to two priests killed in Belfast while ministering to the dying, and generally felt "one cannot properly estimate the role of the churches in reducing violence".

Meanwhile, there was the ongoing work of cross-denominational fraternal meetings of clergy, as well as inter-denominational prayer groups and activities.

On the issue of inter-church communion Dr Brady said the recent debate had highlighted great confusion among Catholics about what the Roman Catholic understanding of the Eucharist is and what lay behind the rule. The debate had also highlighted the central role of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church. "It is the summit of our worship," he said. It was a sign of belonging, a sign of acceptance of the faith.

This summer the Catholic bishops of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales will be issuing a joint document on the issue, clarifying the Catholic position. It would be "a teaching document", he said.

The debate had also highlighted the need for sensitivity and respect for each other's view on the matter, which was "so sensitive, so delicate," he said.

Questioned on the seemingly more generous "open table" policy operated by the non-Roman Catholic denominations where communion is concerned, he asked whether it had brought those denominations together.

It was not just a matter of authority either, he said, though he did acknowledge that some do view it as a question of what people (individually) believe. "People may be sincere (in their decision), but it may not be the correct decision."

Dr Brady would not be drawn on how the church might respond if the President, Mrs McAleese, was to take Communion again in a non-Roman Catholic church. Should that arise, it would be considered at the time, he said.

On the issue of inter-church marriages he acknowledged the pain such couples feel in not being allowed take Communion together, a pain which would only be removed when obstacles to agreement were overcome. He felt that "sometimes we have to stay with pain to motivate us (to deal with the reasons for it)."

Dialogue between the churches was ongoing on the matter. But he did not think the pace of change could be rushed along. He took inspiration from all the changes which had taken place over the past 30 years "especially in the restoration of relationships". He made the point that it often the last part of a journey which is hardest.