Politicians react as Leo Varadkar steps down from role as Taoiseach

Leo Varadkar has resigned his role as leader of Fine Gael – and step down as Taoiseach of Ireland, as soon as a new leader of Fine Gael is elected. The news was delivered during a an emotional announcement in the courtyard of the Government Buildings at 12 noon today.

His resignation marks the imminent end of his second stint as Taoiseach, having previously held the office from 2017-2020. He also served as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from June 2020 to December 2022.

The Castleknock native was leader of Fine Gael since June 2017, and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin West constituency since 2007.

Who will be the next Taoiseach?

However, Donohoe has long ago said that he is not interested in becoming party leader – though clearly that might have changed. If that remains his position, the door might seem to be open to a younger candidate, with Helen McEntee among the potential front-runners. She is widely regarded as having leadership qualities, and she has been a progressive force both in the Department of Justice and within the Fine Gael party. But whether she has the appetite, with a young family, to go for the top job remains to be seen.

And then, of course, there is Simon Harris. Seen by many as a kind of outsider within the Cabinet, he is nonetheless a very capable – if sometimes controversial – Minister and he certainly is regarded as having the ambitiousness necessary to make a play for the job. Whatever else, it will be fascinating to see who emerges as a potentia; front-runner over the next few days.

Reaction from politicians

A number of high-profile politicians have offered their responses in the aftermath of today's surprise development.

"I would like to offer my good wishes to Leo as he prepares to depart the Taoiseach's office," said Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. "It's worth noting that the agreement at the start of this government was between the three coalition parties, not the three leaders. That agreement, particularly in light of the important work that this government has to do.

"The important work of government continues, and the three coalition parties will continue to fulfil our mandate."

Elsewhere, opposition leaders have used the occasion as an opportunity to call for a general election.

Leo Varadkar is stepping down.

The Fine Gael parliamentary party shouldn't get to decide who the next Taoiseach is.

The people should.#GeneralElectionNow pic.twitter.com/TlZ972xTee

— Richard Boyd Barrett (@RBoydBarrett) March 20, 2024

"Leo Varadkar is stepping down. The Fine Gael parliamentary party shouldn't get to decide who the next Taoiseach is," said People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett. "The people should."

Labour's Ivana Bacik echoed the sentiment, writing that "The people, not Fine Gael, should decide who leads the country. It’s time for a General Election now."

"This is a time for change, not just a change of Taoiseach, but a change of Government," said Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald during today's Leaders Questions session in the Dáil. "Fine Gael have been in government for far too long."

The calls for a general election have been dismissed by the soon-to-be former Taoiseach. "This is a Dáil that was elected by the people, this is a government that has a programme that will continue," said Leo Varadkar, in response to McDonald's comments. “Rather than have an early election, we want to continue to focus on the issues at hand.”

Leo Varadkar's statement in full:

Thank you for coming. I'd like to read a brief statement.

I have had the privilege to serve for the past 20 years as a public representative, 13 as a member of Cabinet, seven as leader of my Party, and most of those as Taoiseach of this great country. It's been the most fulfilling time of my life.

Working with colleagues, I have had the honour of helping to lead Ireland from unemployment to full employment, from budget deficit to budget surplus, from austerity to prosperity, through a pandemic in which we saved lives and livelihoods, and through Brexit when we prevented a hard border between North and South and protected our place in Europe.

I am proud that we have made the country a more equal and more modern place when it comes to the rights of children, the LGBT community, equality for women and their bodily autonomy. More recently, we have led the country through an inflation and cost of living crisis, the worst of which is now thankfully behind us.

We have made significant steps towards affordable childcare and universal healthcare, making access to both more affordable for more people.

We’ve made work pay better, with the phased implementation of a national Living Wage and statutory sick pay, lower personal taxes and improved family leave, allowing parents to spend more time with their children in those crucial early years.

I am happy that during my time as Taoiseach, we were able to honour my commitment to double spending on the arts, culture and sport. This is making a real difference now, and will continue to do so into the future, fostering and assisting the artists and sportsmen and women of the future.

We provided leadership by increasing our spending on international development, and we have expanded our diplomatic footprint around the world, building on Ireland’s already considerable soft power. The National Broadband Plan is underway – bringing fibre-based internet connections to every home, school, business, farm and community in Ireland, which the critics said shouldn’t be done.

We established the Technological Universities and the Rural Development Fund, and since 2011 we have quadrupled overall annual investment in public infrastructure. This has meant considerably more investment in priorities like new housing, new healthcare facilities, school buildings and climate action.

I am proud that we, the Irish people, welcomed over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees to our shores when they needed our protection, notwithstanding the challenges this brings.

In my time as Taoiseach, we reduced consistent poverty and income inequality. Housing construction has more than doubled, with five hundred people becoming homeowners every week for the first time - the highest number in almost two decades.

Of course, there are other areas in which we have been much less successful and some in which we have gone backwards, but I hope you’ll forgive me if I leave it to others to point them out on a day like this. They will receive plenty of airtime and column space.

When I became Party Leader and Taoiseach back in June 2017, I knew that one part of leadership is knowing when the time has come to pass on the baton to someone else. And then having the courage to do it. That time is now.

So, 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 6th, thus allowing a new Taoiseach to be elected when the Dáil resumes after the Easter break.

I know this will come as a surprise to many and a disappointment to some. 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. The new 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.

My reasons for stepping down now are personal and political, but mainly political.

I believe this Government can be re-elected. I believe my Party, Fine Gael, can gain seats in the next Dáil. Most of all, I believe that would be the right thing for the future of our country, continuing to take us forward. Protecting what we achieved and building on it.

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 & 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.

In standing aside, I can do so in the absolute confidence that the country and the economy are in a good place, and that my colleagues in the Government from all three parties, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens, and the Oireachtas will continue to work hard for the nation’s best interests.

On a personal level, I have enjoyed being Taoiseach, Leader and a Cabinet member since March 2011. I have learned so much about so many things, met people who I would never have got to meet, been to places I would never have seen, both home and abroad. I am deeply grateful for it and would wholeheartedly recommend a career in politics to anyone considering it.

However, politicians are human beings. We have our limitations. We give it everything until we can’t anymore and then we have to move on. I will, of course, continue to fulfil my duties as Taoiseach until a new Taoiseach is elected and will remain as a constituency TD for Dublin West.

I know, inevitably, there will be speculation as to the ‘real reason’ for my decision. These are the real reasons. That’s it. I have nothing else lined up or in mind. No definite personal or political plans, but I am looking forward to having the time to think about them.