President Mary McAleese said she hoped the Christmas message of peace may help those involved in the Northern Ireland peace process to complete "this journey of reconciliation".
In her Christmas greeting, the President said: "We owe a lot to those who continue to build peace on this island and whose efforts have transformed hearts and minds."
"The central message of Christmas has for two thousand years been a message of peace and goodwill to all humankind and so it is my fervent prayer that reflecting deeply on that message at this crucial time in the Peace Process, we may find the trust and the faith to complete this journey of healing and reconciliation," she said.