The votes have been counted and it is clear that the entire island of Ireland is overwhelmingly in favour of the Good Friday Agreement.
At Dublin Castle, the final count was announced by the national returning officer with 1,356,835 votes in favour of the agreement. The referendum on the Good Friday Agreement took place the previous day in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
A clearly delighted Taoiseach was on hand for the historic announcement.
The announcement was made in the presence of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs Liz O'Donnell and Minister for Foreign Affairs David Andrews.
Speaking following the announcement of the results, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said,
Nobody can challenge the people's verdict and this is a great victory for Irish people both north and south today.
Across the island of Ireland 85 per cent of the people voted in favour of the Good Friday Agreement. Bertie Ahern said that there is nowhere in the world that people have voted so emphatically to give authority and legitimacy to an agreement.
Earlier in the day, Fine Gael leader John Bruton watched the results of the Northern Ireland vote being declared. John Bruton acknowledged that the huge comprises to be made by some of the participants. He said that to see the agreement so resoundingly endorsed on both sides of the border is a tremendous step forward.
I think we're seeing here a redefinition of what we are as a people on this island.
Labour leader Ruari Quinn reaffirmed that the people in the Republic of Ireland have committed themselves to the principle of consent.
Liz O'Donnell said that the result marked the beginning of a new political order on the island which can only bode well for the future prosperity, peace and happiness of all of the people on the island of Ireland.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 23 May 1998. The reporter is Charlie Bird.
