Democratic presidential nominee Senator John Kerry is promising a return to the hands-on style of the former president, Mr Bill Clinton, in Northern Ireland should he be elected to the White House, writes Ray O'Hanlon in New York
Senator Kerry's pledge is contained in a policy book published by the Kerry/Edwards campaign.
The book, titled Our Plan for America, Stronger At Home, Respected In The World implicitly criticises the Bush administration's level of involvement in the peace process, saying: "We are committed to the resumption of genuinely active, high-level participation in the Northern Ireland peace process".
It goes into greater detail on the Democratic ticket's proposed Irish policies than the party platform statement adopted at last week's convention in Boston. The platform statement's reference to Ireland was very brief and drew criticism from some Irish American groups and activists.
The book indicates what a Kerry White House might do to help move the peace process to the next level and points to a return to White House participation.
The Irish section states that Kerry and Edwards, by "pro-actively" supporting the leaders in Northern Ireland and the Irish and British governments, "will work to help achieve the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement".
Full implementation, the candidates say, will include "the restoration of the Assembly, the assurance of the permanence of the democratic institutions, the demilitarisation of Northern Ireland, an end to all paramilitarism, progress on equality and human rights, and a police service that fairly represents and is widely supported by the people of Northern Ireland."
President Clinton's Irish policies were directed from the office of the White House-based National Security Council. President Bush's participation in the peace process has been centred in the State Department.
Mr Bush's special envoys, Ambassador Mitchell Reiss and his predecessor, Ambassador Richard Haass, have been praised for their diplomatic skills and sensitivity.
However, some Irish American activists have openly longed for a return to the kind of personal presidential involvement pioneered by President Clinton.
Prior to President Bush's visit to Ireland in June, Senator Kerry issued a statement urging "presidential leadership" on Ireland.
That call and the comments in Our Plan for America, will increase interest in how the Republicans will treat Irish policy at their convention in New York at the end of this month.