Tánaiste marks 27th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement

"Today marks the 27th anniversary of the signature of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The Agreement was a remarkable achievement, a document that married political vision and compromise. Credit for that achievement goes, first and foremost, to the people of Northern Ireland – political leaders, civil society, citizens – who decided to make a new beginning and build a different future, free from violence.

"The Agreement could not, however, have happened without support from outside Northern Ireland. Progress on the most difficult issues has often depended on a positive relationship between the Irish and UK governments in our capacity as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. I know that the reset in our relations will offer that once again.

"I want to acknowledge, too, the support of international partners. There are too many to mention, but bipartisan support from the US has been indispensable, and the EU played a vital role, both in direct support to the peace process and as a shared framework for the peace that followed.

"No peace agreement can immediately resolve all issues and we have to be honest in acknowledging that there is a way yet to travel. The promise of reconciliation in the Agreement is the work of generations.

"How to address the legacy of the Troubles is a crucial question. I am looking forward to meeting Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, at Hillsborough Castle on 24 April, where we will discuss that subject, among others.

"It can be easy to become discouraged when we encounter obstacles, or when we see the ways in which Northern Ireland and this island remains divided. However, today is a moment to celebrate the great strides we have made. There is political progress: the return of stable, locally elected and accountable government to Northern Ireland, and to all island cooperation through the North South Ministerial Council.

"Most of all, today is a moment to pause and not take for granted how life has changed for the people of Northern Ireland, and to celebrate that: greater prosperity, all the friendships and relationships that might never have been, and all the lives saved."