Taoiseach Enda Kenny has welcomed the Stormont House Agreement, saying the desire had prevailed to give “the promise of a brighter future for all of the people of Northern Ireland”.

“The agreement sets out arrangements to move forward the difficult issues of flags, parades and the past. It seeks to improve the function of the Assembly and Executive and deliver closer, more practical, North-South co-operation,” he said.

British prime minister David Cameron welcomed the agreement in a similar vein, saying he was delighted a workable agreement had been reached. The two most senior figures in Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, also expressed satisfaction at the conclusion, notwithstanding the compromises the party made on welfare cuts.

Deputy First Minister Mr McGuinness indicated he would recommend to the party’s ard chomhairle that the package be accepted. He said the financial package totalling almost £2 billion was very significant and would do much to ensure that the “most vulnerable” were protected. Mr Adams also said he would recommend its acceptance.

Better government

First Minister Peter Robinson said the document was a significant agreement and would help set out an agenda for better government in Northern Ireland.

He accepted that some further work would be required and the document was not perfect.

"[We] would have liked to have had a more comprehensive and complete agreement but this is as much and more than we have ever been able to do on these issues in the past," he said. Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan alluded to it being 16 years since the signing of the Belfast Agreement.

“There is a recognition among the professional politicians in Northern Ireland that matters were not functioning as they should and the system was not working. I believe that over the 75 heads of agreement we can go a long way towards making politics work for the people of Northern Ireland,” said Mr Flanagan.

Referring to the difficult negotiations Northern Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “After 100 or so hours of talks and 12 weeks, this is just the start of a fresh process to have a viable and workable agreement on the table.”

The response from the other three Northern parties involved was more muted. SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell said the agreement did not really address the parading issues and also fell short on resolving the issues that formed the basis of talks chaired by Richard Haass last year. Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt said that no party could give a full endorsement to the document, but he would recommend to his party to give it "a fair wind". Alliance leader David Ford said the documents had not gone far enough to address several key issues. But he was prepared to accept what was in the paper.

Long overdue

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the agreement was long overdue and could not be taken for granted: “The failure of the parties and the Irish and British governments to make significant progress up to this point has caused great frustration.

“However, there are signs today that all sides know they need to do better to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland and they are taking steps along that journey,” he said.