He added: 'And the only thing I would say to today’s leaders is I think when you stand back and you reflect, you know in your heart of hearts, what the right thing to do is...'
Northern Ireland's political leaders know the "right thing to do" and should "get on and do it", former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair has said.
Earlier George Mitchell, who chaired the talks which led to the 1998 agreement, urged Stormont leaders to act with the same "courage and wisdom" as their predecessors. Mr Ahern said the alternatives to the agreement are "not good", adding: "Let’s hope they listen to what George Mitchell said today, and listen to what we’re saying, that we all just get back on the track.
He said: "There were days I felt like I was taking Seamus Heaney’s advice to take a flying leap and walk on air against your better judgment.The former US president said people thought they were crazy to believe they could get paramilitaries to decommission their arms. The UK and European recently agreed the Windsor Framework in a bid to reduce barriers to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland created under the protocol.
But he added: "The answer is not perfection or permanence, it is now, as it was then, for the current and future leaders of Northern Ireland to act with courage and vision as their predecessors did 25 years ago."To leave to the next generation peace, freedom, opportunity and the hope of a better future for their children."
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