JOAN BURTON has announced her resignation as leader of the Labour Party.
The former Tanaiste will step down once a successor has been elected.
The Dublin West TD announced her decision at a press conference this afternoon, before which she informed TDs and Senators of her decision.
Addressing an audience of reporters and party workers, Burton said her biggest regret was that she had not been able to make sure Ireland's social recovery took place as quickly as the economic one - and admitted she was disappointed with the result of February's election, which saw her party reduced from 33 TDs to seven.
Burton said she was not under any pressure from colleagues to resign, and that she had made the decision herself - and was happy with it.
She also said she would not get involved in the election to appoint her successor, in keeping with tradition set by previous Labour leaders.
Labour rules require the party to hold a leadership election within six months of any general election where it does not enter government.
It is believed Burton had given some consideration to remaining in charge - and even to leading her party's remaining TDs back into government alongside Fine Gael.
However, given the huge scale of Labour's losses in February's election, and the criticism of several defeated candidates at a post-election meeting, Burton will today announce she will not put her name forward.
Party rules require any potential leader to come from within the Dáil ranks - meaning there are only seven eligible candidates, including Burton. Candidates also need to be proposed and seconded by two TDs, which can include themselves.
Deputy leader Alan Kelly has made no secret of his ambition to lead the party, but may find it difficult to find another TD who will second his nomination.
But given his difficult tenure in the Department of the Environment, and divisive public image over his handling of water charges, the Tipperary TD would almost certainly face a challenger.
The most likely option is thought to be Cork East TD Sean Sherlock, who remains popular within the party and who polled strongly in the last general election.
If Kelly is not nominated, the most likely candidate would be Brendan Howlin, the former Public Expenditure minister, who remains highly popular in both his native Wexford and within the party fold.
However, having lost leadership elections in both 2002 and 2007, he is thought to be unwilling to face another contested election - and will only consider the role if there are no opponents.
