INTERNATIONAL REACTION:UNITED STATES politicians from both parties paid warm tribute to Bertie Ahern, who plans to address the joint houses of Congress at the end of this month, a week before he leaves office.
A spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council said President George Bush "has enjoyed his many meetings and working relationship with the Taoiseach, and wishes him well in his future endeavours".
Hillary Clinton described Mr Ahern as "a great partner of the United States and a dear friend whose career has been one of great accomplishment.
"As first lady and senator, I have had the honour to work with him on several occasions. His leadership during the time leading up to the agreement and the 10 years following have resulted in significant progress even when the outlook was unclear," she said.
Senator Edward Kennedy described Mr Ahern as "a steady and effective leader of the Irish people" who had made an indispensable contribution to the resolution of the Northern conflict.
Early yesterday evening, the Taoiseach telephoned Congressman Richard Neal, chairman of the Congressional Friends of Ireland. "He thought he was getting out at kind of a high time in his career, after a series of great achievements in the economy, the peace process in the North and the relationships that he had furthered in America," Mr Neal told The Irish Times.
New York Republican congressman Peter King described Mr Ahern as an "outstanding Taoiseach" whom he regarded as a friend.
"I don't know of any Irish leader who had a closer relationship or more rapport with the United States than Bertie Ahern.
"He was really - is really - very welcome here. We really consider him like one of us when we show up on Capitol Hill . . . He just seems like the kind of guy I grew up with in Queens, in New York," he said.
European Commission president José Manuel Barroso paid a warm tribute to Mr Ahern, calling him a good personal friend and a great partner for Europe.
"I can tell you that personally I am very sorry that Bertie Ahern has to leave and decided to leave. He is a good friend and he has been a great partner and we have been working very closely," he said.
Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, who was visiting Mr Barroso in Brussels yesterday, also praised Mr Ahern for his role in Northern Ireland.
President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pottering also praised Mr Ahern's record in Europe. "Bertie Ahern has always been a great and committed European. He always managed to combine his defence of Irish national interests with seeking to secure the best outcome for the European Community as a whole."