Leo Varadkar said today (Wednesday, March 20) that he is stepping down as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael for “personal and political” reasons.
In an emotional address to the nation today Varadkar said he always “knew that one part of leadership is knowing when the time has come to pass on the baton to someone else”.
“That time is now.
“I am resigning as president and leader of Fine Gael effective today, and will resign as Taoiseach as soon as my successor is able to take up that office.
“I have asked our party general secretary and executive council to provide for the new leader to be elected in advance of the Ard Fheis on Saturday, April 6, thus allowing a new Taoiseach to be elected when the Dáil resumes after the Easter break,” he said.
Varadkar said he had taken the decision to step away from the office of Taoiseach and as leader of his party after “careful consideration and some soul-searching”.
“I believe a new Taoiseach will be better-placed than me to achieve that – to renew and strengthen the top team, to refocus our message and policies, and to drive implementation. After seven years in office, I am no longer the best person for that job.
“There are loyal colleagues and good friends contesting the local and European elections and I want to give them the best chance possible. I think they will now have a better chance under a new leader,” he added.
Varadkar
He acknowledged that his decision would “come as a surprise to many and a disappointment to some”.
But he added: “I hope you will at least understand my decision. I know that others will, how shall I put it, cope with the news just fine. That is the great thing about living in a democracy.
“There is never a ‘right time’ to resign high office. However, this is as good a time as any – Budget 2024 is done, and negotiations have not yet commenced on the next one.
“The institutions of the Good Friday Agreement are working again, and our trading relationship with the United Kingdom, in the post-Brexit era, is settled and stable.”
He also said the next Taoiseach will have a full two months to prepare for the local and European Elections, and up to a year before the next General Election.
According to Varadkar he has “nothing else lined up or in mind” once he steps down as Taoiseach and stated that he had “no definite personal or political plans”.
He thanked “the people of Ireland” for giving him the opportunity to serve them and pledged to continue to “keep working for Ireland and my community in any way I can in the future”.