The agreement would work only if those who signed it honoured their signed commitments and recommended it to those they represented or purported to represent, a former Cathaoirleach said.
Mr Liam Cosgrave added: "Leadership means leading from the front and accepting responsibility for the signed agreement. It is not good enough to wait and see how some people react before accepting the obligations of the terms of the document."
Mr Cosgrave said verbal patriotism or written aspirations might be emotionally satisfying but they would not result in progress or peace without a commitment to implement the terms. More talk would not solve the North's problems. What was needed was action.
"Talk is easy compared to the hard sustained action needed to make the agreement effective. A moratorium on talk might well be the single biggest contribution to making this agreement work, at least until after the referendum."
Mr Cosgrave said the Garda and Army had rendered faithful dedicated patriotic service since the State was set up. "This impartial service is gratefully and rightly appreciated by all the people. No action should be taken for any reason which would in any way cast doubt on the immense debt that this country owes to the members of the gardai and the Army, many of whom have given their lives on behalf of the people and made the supreme sacrifice so that the Irish people could live in freedom."
Dr Maurice Hayes (Ind) paid tribute to the Taoiseach for helping to assuage the hunger of the ordinary people of Northern Ireland for peace. These were the people who had brought the politicians together to make an agreement. Tribute was due to those politicians in Northern Ireland whom they had all seen grow and develop in recent months. People who had been mere representatives had shown themselves to be politicians and people who were politicians had shown themselves to be statesmen.
"Taoiseach, you played a key role in that," said Dr Hayes. "What I saw you and Tony Blair do over Holy Week was to conduct a master class in politics as the art of the possible and negotiation as the art of compromise."
He was glad the Taoiseach had paid tribute to the Women's Coalition. Women had been the secret weapon in the efforts to achieve peace in Northern Ireland.
There had also been a contribution by those in both sides of the community who were serving prison sentences. Some of the most interesting and innovative political ideas had come from people in jail. They knew more than anyone else the cost of violence and the importance of dealing with its causes. That was why he did not think they should be too ready to anathematise the prisoners in this regard.
Ms Therese Ridge (FG) said it had been a long Via Dolorosa from Sunningdale in 1974 to Belfast in 1998. She fervently hoped there would be a new "fainne gealan lae", a new dawning of the day. This must be the Taoiseach's finest hour. She thought they had chartered what could well prove to be a most momentous journey.