Watch Leo Varadkar’s resignation speech in full as the Irish taoiseach announced he is stepping down as prime minister and Fine Gael leader before Ireland’s next general election. In a press conference from the steps of government buildings on Wednesday, 20 March, Mr Varadkar said his time in office was “the most fulfilling time of his life”. His resignation is effective from today; he will step down when a successor is selected. Mr Varadkar led Fine Gael to a third-place finish in the 2020 general election. He led a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party; their agreement meant Micheál Martin become taoiseach, with Mr Varadkar as Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) before the pair swapped two years later.