The leader, who has been in power since 2017, handed in his resignation during a 45-minute meeting with President Michael D Higgins, according to RTE.

He will remain in the role in a caretaker capacity until successors are appointed and was expected to travel to Brussels for the EU leaders’ summit on Thursday night.

The development came after no single party emerged with an outright majority following the general election earlier this month.

Mr Varadkar’s Fine Gael party came in third behind Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein.

Talks among the three parties during the Dail’s first sitting since the February 8 vote failed to make much progress.

Thursday’s session opened with the election of a speaker, followed by parties nominating their candidates for Taoiseach.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar were all nominated to the top post, but none secured enough votes to be elected.

Ms McDonald won the most with 45 while Mr Martin won 41 and Mr Varadkar secured 36, but the two main parties have so far ruled out governing alongside Sinn Fein which has seen its popularity at the ballot box soar.

Ireland’s lower house of parliament has now been adjourned until March.

As the session neared its end Mr Varadkar said: ‘The responsibility is now on all of us to provide good government and, indeed good opposition because that’s what the people have every right to expect.

‘The government will continue to carry out its duties until a new government has been appointed. I will likewise continue as Taoiseach until the election of that new government.’