Leo Varadkar officially resigns as Taoiseach, delivering a letter to President Michael D Higgins
By The Headlines, April 8, 2024 | 07:32 PM
Leo Varadkar handed President Michael D. Higgins his letter of resignation, ending his term in office.
Officially, Mr Varadkar will continue to serve as Taoiseach until Simon Harris is chosen to succeed him, which is anticipated to happen after a Dail vote on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Simon Harris' appointment as Taoiseach would leave the position of Minister of State for Higher Education vacant, as will the position of Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, after Simon Coveney's statement that he would resign.
President Higgins this evening accepted the resignation of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach at Áras an Uachtaráin. The President thanked him for his service during his term in office pic.twitter.com/m2gQkL5Orj
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) April 8, 2024
On his last day as Taoiseach, Mr Varadkar met as a member of the North-South Ministerial Council with the Northern Ireland Executive.
On March 20, Mr Varadkar abruptly resigned as Taoiseach and head of Fine Gael, causing shockwaves throughout the country.
In his resignation statement outside Leinster House, Mr Varadkar stated that the re-election of the existing "three party Government will be the right thing for the future of our country" and that his reasons "for stepping down are both personal and political."
