Elaine Loughlin: Some 'caught on the hop' but writing was on the wall for Varadkar's resignation
Party Announces Taoiseach Leader Gael As Fine Leo Varadkar Resignation Taoiseach Of Picture: Both And His Collins
The first signs that something extraordinary was brewing came when Leo Varadkar's innermost circle was spotted in the Dáil canteen at around 9am, not exactly a regular occurrence.
But the writing had been on the wall for some time. Perhaps the media should have read more into the private gathering of around 30 people, including his most trusted advisers, in Blair House opposite the White House on Friday night.
A swansong party for a leader on the way out.
As far back as 2015, Varadkar had admitted that he wouldn't be in politics for life, and having reached the top office, not once but twice, he now bows out on his own terms.
But the timing of the departure has still come as a shock to almost everyone. Most politicians only became aware of an imminent "significant announcement" after a media notice was sent out at 10.30am stating that the Taoiseach would be outside Government Buildings after the weekly Cabinet meeting.
By 11am, with the ministerial meeting still ongoing, whispers in the halls of Leinster House were in full gossip overdrive. Government backbenchers, opposition TDs and journalists were all mingling around in the hope of finding out details of the pending announcement.
Was Paschal Donohoe, who has been rumoured for a list of positions including most recently the top job in the IMF, leaving? Perhaps Simon Coveney was the one who would be stepping aside?
There were murmurings of a heave, but everyone who might be behind such a move was swarming around the Dáil trying to seek out the inside track.
It couldn't be a snap election, surely he'd announce that in the Dáil?
Down in the basement, two Fine Gael members who were sat in a Committee hearing bent over to each other sharing a phone screen and confused expressions.
"We were all caught on the hop," one party senator later admitted.
"Not a whisper," a former Fine Gael minister claimed when pressed on the stairs up to the Chamber about what he might know.
Arriving at the conclusion that it had to be an announcement from Leo Varadkar himself, one senior Fine Gael member asked who might be in the doughnut behind their party leader as a show of support.
Having lost many of his famous five-aside group — among them Pat Deering who failed to be re-elected in 2020, Eoghan Murphy who bowed out of politics early in the term, and Brendan Griffin who last year announced that he won't be running again — the Taoiseach cut a lonely figure on the steps of Government buildings, surrounded only by those who will be now looking to fill his seat.
"It's almost Shakespearian," one TD said.
In an at-times emotional speech, Varadkar said: "We give it everything until we can’t anymore and then we have to move on."
He added: "I know, inevitably, there will be speculation as to the ‘real reason’ for my decision. These are the real reasons. That’s it. I have nothing else lined up or in mind. No definite personal or political plans, but I am looking forward to having the time to think about them."
As politicians digested the news, the focus quickly turned to succession.
Interestingly it was ministers Paschal Donohoe and Heather Humphreys who gave the departing leader a supportive pat on the back as he made his way back up the steps and into Government Buildings. Simon Harris was also looking earnestly on after the shock announcement.