Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the US Congress that after decades of strife and conflcit Ireland is now at peace.
Mr Ahern salutes members of the US Congress after his address
In an historic address to a joint session of both houses on Capitol Hill, Mr Ahern said: “I am so proud to be the first Irish leader to inform the United States Congress: Ireland is at peace”.
“Our dream, and the dream of all of the friends of Ireland in America and across the world, has come true,” he said.
“If ever you doubt America’s place in the world, or hesitate about your power to influence events for the better, look to Ireland. Look to the good you have done."
He paid tribute to US involvement in the peace progress and in particular to former senator George Mitchell’s contribution to brokering the Belfast Agreement which brought a standing ovation.
In one of his last engagements as Taoiseach, Mr Ahern spoke of Ireland's long-standing ties with the US, saying "to be Irish is to be at home in America."
Referring to the undocumented Irish immigrants in the US, he said: “We hope you will be able to find a solution to their plight that would enable them to regularise their status and open to them a path to permanent residency.”
He added: "On this great issue of immigration to both our shores, let us resolve to make the fair and rational choices, the practical and decent decisions, so that in future people will look back and say: 'They chose well. They did what was right for their country'."
The Taoiseach was the sixth Irish leader to address a joint session of Congress and only the fifth political leader ever to have addressed a joint sitting of both houses in Britain and the US.
He was welcomed to Congress by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who issued the invitation.
In his 40-minute speech, which prompted several standing ovations, Mr Ahern said bonds between the US and Ireland went "beyond a friendship between countries” and that Ireland represented a bridge between Europe and America.
Mr Ahern said the September 11 terror attacks were "etched into the memory of all humanity" and praised the bravery of all those who died.
"In Ireland today, we are looking out from our own shores more than ever before - no longer with thoughts of exile, but to be part of the world."
Speaking less than a week before he stands down as Taoiseach, Mr Ahern ended his speech by saying:"There are no finer words with which to finish and upon which to say: In history, in politics and in life, there are no ends, only new beginnings. Let us begin."
His words echoed President John F Kennedy's famous inaugural address of January 1961.
After the speech, Mr Ahern met President George Bush at the White House, the second time the two leaders have met this year, and was also honoured at a lunch hosted by Richie Neal, chairman of the Congressional Friends of Ireland in Congress.
Mr Ahern arrived in Washington last night after having attended his last Cabinet meeting as Taoiseach before Brian Cowen takes over the role on May 6th.
A large group of friends and supporters of Mr Ahern travelled to Washington for the historic occasion including Des Richardson, the former Fianna Fáil fundraiser who was a key figure in organising the infamous "dig out" for Mr Ahern in the early 1990s.
Mr Ahern is the first serving Fianna Fáil Taoiseach to have been asked to make an address to the Joint Houses although two Fianna Fáil presidents were similarly honoured.
The previous Irish leaders to address a joint meeting of Congress were John Bruton in 1996, Garret FitzGerald in 1984, Liam Cosgrave in 1976, Éamon de Valera in 1964 and Sean T Ó Ceallaigh in 1959. Three other political leaders addressed one chamber of Congress, John A Costello in 1956, WT Cosgrave in 1928 and Charles Stewart Parnell in 1880.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern also accompanied the Taoiseach to Washington and during his stay he will meet senior figures in Congress to discuss the problems of undocumented Irish immigrants.
Mr Ahern will travel on to Boston tomorrow to deliver a lecture on Ireland and Europe to the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.