Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar officially handed in his letter of resignation on Monday, despite having projected a positive stance on his choice to step down from the position. His departure from power arrived with a rather gloomy mood, with a dismal weather marring his exit, further accentuating the shadowy turn of events. The ceremony took place at Phoenix Park just before 6pm, paving the trajectory for Simon Harris to take over as the new Fine Gael leader.
Mr Varadkar had been in political service for over 13 years, having first stepped into the halls of Áras an Uachtaráin as Transport Minister under then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Nevertheless, just as the sun succumbs to periodic eclipses, so too do political leaders, usurped by their rivals over time.
While Mr Varadkar has officially parted ways with his position, his appointment will continue in acting capacity until his successor, Mr Harris, is given a formal nomination by President Michael D Higgins, whose meeting is set for Tuesday afternoon.
In spite of the dreary settings, Mr Varadkar stepped onto the Áras premises with a smile, greeting the chilled reporters before heading indoors. He was accompanied by his close advisors, Bríd Murphy and Nick Miller, along with John Callinan, the secretary general of the Department of the Taoiseach who oversaw the formal proceedings of his resignation.
The former Taoiseach refrained from divulging details on his upcoming plans following his resignation, citing both private and political reasons for stepping down. He will, however, continue to serve as TD for Dublin West, though he has nothing further lined up, as far as he’s disclosed. Mr Varadkar’s resignation followed his final official act, a meeting with the North South Ministerial Council in Co Armagh.
As for his future political endeavours, he remained reluctant to disclose any plans till after the summer break. His resignation follows a particularly busy phase, covering local and European elections. Given that he hasn’t taken a break exceeding two weeks since 1996, he is, understandably, looking forward to an extended summer break. The decision regarding his future strategy will be made subsequently, he revealed.
Mr Varadkar shared sentiments on departing from the North that he held hope for a future reassessment of the negative views some unionists hold of him. Reflecting on the criticisms he confronted from unionists, he wished for a re-evaluation in time when circumstances may appear differently.
During his role as Taoiseach, an ample portion of his time was dedicated towards ensuring that Brexit did not lead to a hard border between the Northern and Southern regions of Ireland, and protecting Ireland’s place in the European Union.
First gaining a position as a TD for the region of Dublin West in 2007, he was later designated as the minister for transport in 2011 by the previous Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. He later ascended to the position of health minister in 2014. In 2017, he triumphed over Simon Coveney as the leader of Fine Gael, thereby becoming the youngest Taoiseach, a position he maintained for seven cumulative years.
With the resignation of Mr Varadkar, the reign of Mr Harris signals a new period of governance. Mr Higgins is due to officially assign his government during a ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin on Tuesday. The evening is anticipated with much interest, especially regarding his potential cabinet reshuffle.