Irish pols react to ‘yes” vote

“To those in whose hearts the pulse of violence still festers whoever you are: you have been given your answer . . . your day is over, you are the past. The peace builders, the bridge builders are the future.”

– Irish President Mary McAleese

“To those who would contemplate in engaging in violent opposition to this agreement and what it represents, I would say to them, forget

it. . . . If you cannot join us in the new enterprise that offers the only

true partnership and reconciliation of the people of this island, desist

and return to obscurity you deserve.”

– Taoiseach Bertie Ahern

“It is great to be around to see such historic changes taking

place both North and South. It is overwhelming support of the Irish

people for peace and rejecting violence for all time.”

– Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds

“[The result] opens the way to the future. I think the assembly election will produce a very clear majority in favor of getting on with it and getting things done. There are hurdles like decommissioning, but this is the great moment.”

– Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald

“It was a very historic act. You have told us to lay down the foundations for lasting peace and stability, and you did it in magnificent numbers.”

– SDLP leader John Hume

“People voted for dialogue and equality and inclusiveness, a partnership for peace and a pact with the future. David Trimble must speak to Sinn Fein now.”

– Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams

“It is a very convincing endorsement. . . . It was not as big a majority of the Unionists as I would have liked, but a clear majority of them endorsed it.”

– UUP leader David Trimble

“The Ulster people refused to be bribed, to be bullied, to be bought. They stood firm and we got 56 percent of the Unionist vote.”

– Rev. Ian Paisley of the DUP

“The will of the people has spoken. They have said there has to be a better way. We now have to get our hands dirty and deal with people who we don’t like to achieve something better.”

– David Ervine of the PUP