Ireland

Fine Gael leadership race begins after Enda Kenny announces resignation

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is stepping down as Taoiseach after six years. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire
Taoiseach Enda Kenny is stepping down as Taoiseach after six years. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire Taoiseach Enda Kenny is stepping down as Taoiseach after six years. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire

THE Fine Gael leadership race has begun after taoiseach Enda Kenny made the shock announcement that he was standing down from last night.

Leo Varadkar, the minister for social protection, has been tipped as Mr Kenny's most likely successor and is the bookmakers' firm favourite.

However, housing minister Simon Coveney is expected to push Mr Varadkar close.

Mr Kenny, the longest-serving TD in the Dáil, will stay on as his party's acting leader until a successor is elected on June 2.

The softly-spoken Mayo man will only stand down as Taoiseach when the Dáil can appoint a new one - expected to be some time next month.

Mr Varadkar, a Dublin TD and the son of a doctor from Mumbai, is a qualified GP and has held several ministerial roles.

He came out as gay two years ago, making him the Republic's first openly gay government minister.

Cork TD Mr Coveney, a father-of-three who spent three years as an MEP, worked as an agriculture adviser before he took over his late father Hugh Coveney's seat in 1998.

The pair are clear frontrunners for the leadership but Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald indicated in March that she might also stand.

In a statement yesterday Mr Kenny said he will "continue to carry out my duties and responsibilities as Taoiseach in full" until his successor is chosen.

He said it had been a "huge honour and privilege" to lead Fine Gael for the last 15 years, including two terms in government.

He thanked his constituents and his personal staff for their commitment.

"I especially want to thank my wife Fionnuala, our children, my siblings and their families for their understanding of my work, and indeed for accepting the many intrusions of politics into family life in the interest of building our country," he said.

Mr Kenny, the father of the Dáil, will be remembered for leading the Republic from the brink of bankruptcy, for gay marriage rights, an apparent determination to stand up to the Vatican and legislating for abortion in limited circumstances.

However, he also struggled to convince the public on water charges, tax increases and leaves his post at a time of unprecedented homelessness and a crisis within the Garda Síochána.

Colleagues paid tribute last night, including Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly.

"It was Enda Kenny who inherited an economic crisis from a previous government and stepped up to that challenge with great courage and strength but managed to get the country through a bailout and exit that bailout successfully," he said.

Mr Coveney said Mr Kenny has been a towering figure in modern Irish history.

"His record in government since 2011 will be viewed very positively by historians, not least how he led the restoration of our economic financial independence over that period, which was a landmark event," he said.

Mr Varadkar described him as Fine Gael's "most successful leader".

"Brought FG from decline to success, Ireland from brink of bankruptcy to prosperity," he tweeted.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin said: "I believe that Enda Kenny will be remembered as Taoiseach of the government that brought our country back from the brink."

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams wished Mr Kenny well and said he "did his best from his perspective".

But he added while Mr Kenny "promised a democratic revolution... six years on and his political legacy is dominated by crisis, chaos, and chronic lack of accountability".

Alliance leader Naomi Long, meanwhile, said Mr Kenny will be remembered in the north "for showing a true commitment to the peace process, as well as helping seek solutions to several crises which took place in his time in office".

British Prime Minister Theresa May also said he had been a strong and consistent friend to the UK.

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Enda Kenny's political career

1975 - elected TD for Mayo

1994 - appointed minister for tourism as part of Taoiseach John Bruton's Fine Gael-Labour-Democratic Left "Rainbow Coalition"

2001 - stands unsuccessfully for leadership of Fine Gael

2002 - becomes Fine Gael leader after party suffers its worst electoral performance

2010 - leadership is challenged after poll finds strong support for Labour

2011- becomes Taoiseach after Fine Gael win decisive victory in Republic's general election

March 2016 - resigns as Taoiseach after attempts to form a coalition fail

April 2016 - agreement reached with Fianna Fáil for Fine Gael to lead a minority government, with becoming his party's first ever leader to remain as Taoiseach for two successive terms