Bill Clinton aide calls for Irish peace process ‘shift’

A former Bill Clinton aide who played a key role in securing Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams his first US visa has said it is time for a “generational shift” in the peace process.

Nancy Soderberg said the real change would come at least another generation after the conflict ended, but added Northern Ireland should be further along the road to compromise.

Stormont powersharing stalled earlier this year following a dispute between the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein. Negotiations will resume after the general election.

Ms Soderberg said: “By now, they should be further along and it is time to have a generational shift so that the leaders that take over are not so steeped in the past.

“It is very hard for the current leaders to compromise and move forward. When I was involved in the early stages, it was the women and grass roots who demanded change and it will take them to step up and say, let’s move on. This society is still as divided as it was before, though not by vioa