McAleese proud of peace process legacy as President

Mary McAleese has said she is delighted to end her 14 years as President and know that peace has been restored to the North.

The 60-year-old has performed her final official engagement today, a visit to a hostel for homeless men in Dublin.

Tomorrow, her successor Michael D Higgins, will be inaugurated the ninth President of Ireland.

Speaking to reporters at the St Vincent de Paul Hostel near Christchurch Cathedral, Mrs McAleese said: "It has been one of the greatest joys of my life, these 14 years to see the huge release into civic society and the body politic in Northern Ireland, of so much 'repressed friendship', of so much of the goodness of people and the desire for reconciliation that had got lost in the conflict.

"To see it now, the outworkings of the Good Friday Agreement, the peace on the streets, it's a joy."