Leo Varadkar has insisted that “no one thing or event” pushed him to announce his resignation as Taoiseach.

Speaking on his way into the EU Leaders Summit in Brussels this morning, Mr Varadkar said he was moving on to “make space for new people, new ideas and new energy”.

He said he has been representing Ireland at home and abroad for more than 13 years and always knew that “it can't be forever and I don't want it to be forever”.

The Taoiseach said he has been considering his future since Christmas – but only made a final decision over the weekend.

When it was put to him that there are those who do not believe he is leaving for “personal and political reasons,” Mr Varadkar said there have been people who don’t believe him throughout his life in politics.

'There's no one event'

Asked to confirm that there nothing will come out about him in the next few weeks to explain his resignation, he said: “In terms of my own decision, my own reasons, there's no one event, there's no one thing.”

“I appreciate the need for journalism to have a thing or a moment but in real life, it's often not like that,” he said.

“Certainly, you know, for me, I'm here in Brussels today and I've been coming to Brussels for nearly 14 years now, without a break, representing the country as a minister and then as Taoiseach and Tánaiste and look, there comes a time when you need to move on and you need to make space for new people, new ideas and new energy.”

Toxicity

The outgoing Taoiseach also said the level of toxicity in public life has increased in the last five or ten years – but insisted it was not a major factor in his decision.

“I've always understood in politics that when you stick a picture of yourself up on lamp poles, when you knock on people's doors unannounced, when you take stands on things, that you're going to be subject to a certain level of abuse,” he said.

“Toxicity is the term people like to use that has increased.

“It's certainly amplified over the past five to ten years – not just because of social media, by the way, also because of a lot of cynicism in mainstream media as well, which I think needs to be talked about too.

“But it wasn't a major factor for me. I have a thick skin.”

Leo Varadkar arrives at the EU Leaders’ Summit in Brussels. Image: EU Consilium

He said he has yet to decide whether he will stand for re-election to the next Dáil.

“I'm not resigning my seat,” he said. “I'm looking forward to fulfilling my mandate ... I'm looking forward to getting involved in campaigns again in my constituency.”

He said he will make a decision on the next election “over the next few months”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett at the Government Buildings, Dublin, during their three day visit to the Republic of Ireland. Photo credit should read: Doug Peters/EMPICS

Mr Varadkar said his change in circumstances “hasn’t sunk in yet” – noting that he has barely had time to speak to his family since making the announcement.

He said his partner Matt is “delighted”, adding, “This life was never really for him”.