Ahern says Agreement his 'proudest achievement'

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the annual Fianna Fáil commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising that the Belfast Agreement is his “proudest achievement”.

Mr Ahern was making his fourteenth oration as Fianna Fáil party leader at the annual Arbour Hill cemetery event since he was elected to the role in 1994. He will step down as Taoiseach on May 6th.

In his addresss, Mr Ahern noted the Proclamation signed by the leaders of the 1916 Rising spoke of a “resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and all of its parts”.

He said he used that sentiment as "a guiding principle" throughout his eleven-year tenure as taoiseach. 

Mr Ahern said the signing of the Belfast Agreement was a moment of pride for him personally and his party as a whole. He said the deal provides the "bedrock for the future happiness and prosperity" for the whole island of Ireland.

"The negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement marked an historic end and a new beginning - an end to sustained conflict and a new era of peace and mutual respect," Mr Ahern said.

"I pay tribute to the grassroots of this party who did so much to help foster an ethos on this island which draws heavily on the truest sense of a broad-based republicanism. It is an ethos of tolerance, an ethos of reconciliation, equality and mutual respect and it has done much to underpin consensus.

He noted that other pivotal figures, such as John Hume and David Trimble, took "enormous risks" for peace, while Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness showed great leadership.

"In later years, Dr Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson and others in the DUP showed equal vision and leadership in negotiating, and then implementing, the St Andrews Agreement that led to the restoration of the institutions and the hugely positive situation we all enjoy today," Mr Ahern said.

He also paid tribute to former US president Bill Clinton, Senator George Mitchell and other Irish and British figures, including Mo Mowlam, David Ervine, John Major, John Bruton, Charles Haughey, Dick Spring and Albert Reynolds.

"Perhaps most importantly of all, in Tony Blair there was a British Prime Minister blessed in abundance with patience, wisdom and generosity. He worked tirelessly for peace on this island for many years and he will always be deserving of this nation's gratitude," the Taoiseach said.

Mr Ahern called for efforts to continue to ensure increased cross-border economic co-operation, implementation of all-island infrastructure and to help loyalist communities "move beyond the conflict of the past and to share in the peace and prosperity which is the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland".

Mr Ahern also spoke fondly of Taoiseach-designate Brian Cowen. "He has the ability, the capacity and the intelligence to keep this country on the path of peace, prosperity and progress," he said. "He has been a loyal friend, and he will be a great leader."