Leo Varadkar has declared he is “looking forward” to leading the Opposition.
The Taoiseach admitted his party had lost the election and that he is now preparing his party for a stint on the opposition benches.
Mr Varadkar was speaking after a monster six hour parliamentary party meeting which was described by sources as “comprehensive and detailed,” while party veteran minister Richard Bruton told the Irish Mirror it was the “longest in memory” on his way out.
The Taoiseach said that it was now up to Sinn Féin to try and form a government, followed by Fianna Fail if Mary Lou McDonald cannot hammer out a deal.
But after that, despite the Fine Gael leader’s emphasis on opposition, he has not completely ruled out he leading the country again in a coalition or new Confidence and Supply Agreement with Fianna Fáil.
However, the mood in the room on the 5th floor of Leinster House where the special parliamentary party meeting took place, was one of resignation.
One senior party source who left the party meeting early to travel home to the west of the country told the Irish Mirror: “we are ready for opposition after tonight.”
Mr Varadkar was accompanied by party chairman, TD Martin Heydon, when he came out onto the Plinth of Leinster House shortly before nine o’clock.
He said: “The future is about leading the party into opposition.
“I’m looking forward to that challenge.
“I want to do what I didn’t have the chance to do as Taoiseach, which is to be party leader, to be President of Fine Gael, to rebuild our party, to emphasise our identity again and to get around the country in particular to reorganise the party and turn it into a fighting force again.”
The Taoiseach added that he would still “talk to other parties to share our analysis and perspectives on the outcome of the general election,” before adding: “but I did not seek, nor do I have, a mandate to speak to any other party about a programme for government.”
Despite all of that talk, Mr Varadkar confirmed that he will be proposed by his party as a candidate for Taoiseach when the 33rd Dáil meets for the first time this Thursday.
He has no hope of winning on this occasion.
In a statement from Fine Gael after the meeting, the party said: “We are preparing to go into Opposition.
“An Taoiseach and Fine Gael President, Leo Varadkar, told the Parliamentary Party that he relishes the challenge to lead a strong and effective Opposition for the benefit of the country.
“In particular, Fine Gael will represent the interests and the aspirations of the 450,000 people who voted for the Party in the election and hold the new government to account.”
But the statement crucially concluded: “There will be no negotiations on a Programme for Government without a further mandate from the Parliamentary Party.
“It will meet again next week.”
