An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is resigning as Taoiseach and stepping down as leader of the Fine Gael party as soon as a replacement is selected.

The new party leader will be selected ahead of the Fine Gael Ard Fheis on 6 April, with this candidate to be nominated to Dáil Éireann the following week.

Varadkar will stay on as Taoiseach in the interim and a general election will not be needed if the new Fine Gael leader gets the Dáil’s stamp of approval.

He will also remain in his position as a TD until the next general election.

Although no candidates declared their intention to enter the race as the Irish Farmers Journal was going to print, possible candidates include Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney, Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Rural Development Heather Humphreys, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris. The shock announcement came after cabinet met for the first time since Government’s dual referendum defeats on family and care, and just one day after Galway east TD Ciaran Cannon stated he would not stand in the next general election, making him Fine Gael’s tenth sitting TD to bow out.