US President Bill Clinton is back in the United States after a trip to Russia and Ireland.

On his last day, on the West coast of Ireland, he was honoured with a peace award for his role in the Good Friday agreement which paved the way for the new Northern Ireland Assembly, and was also given the Freedom of the City of Limerick, last awarded to a US president when John F Kennedy visited the city in 1963.

But Mr Clinton is going home to mounting criticism over his behaviour in the Monica Lewinsky scandal, criticism which might even pose a threat to his presidency.

So often in the past when Bill Clinton has been in trouble at home, a successful foreign trip has enabled him to return politically invigorated. But not this time.

His summit in Moscow achieved little and the domestic scandal which is rocking his presidency cast a shadow over his visits to both Russia and Ireland.

Most damaging for Bill Clinton was the devastating speech delivered from the floor of the Senate on Thursday by his old friend and fellow Democrat, Senator Joseph Lieberman.

He accused Mr Clinton of wilfully deceiving the nation and undermining the presidency.

But admitting his guilt and saying he is sorry will not let President Clinton off the hook.

Senator Lieberman's comments suggest other Democrats, worried about public apathy in impending mid-term elections, may not stand by their President when special prosecutor Kenneth Starr's report on the Lewinsky affair reaches Congress.