Ireland’s Leo Varadkar has announced he is stepping down as prime minister.

In a statement delivered this afternoon in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said his reasons for leaving were both “personal and political”.

Mr Varadkar, 45, has led the Fine Gael party since 2017 and served as Taoiseach – Ireland’s prime minister – twice.

His first stint leading the country lasted from 2017 to 2020, before he took up the role as Tánaiste – deputy prime minister – from 2020 until December 2022.

He has been the Irish premier since then in a “rotating Taoiseach” agreement that underpinned his party’s coalition with Fianna Fail and the Green Party.

A new Taoiseach is set to be in place when the Dail returns after Easter. He is set to remain as a TD – a member of parliament.

Mr Varadkar became the first openly gay Taoiseach when he came out during the 2015 marriage equality referendum.