Enda Kenny has confirmed he will resign this evening after his reappointment as Taoiseach was rejected by the Dáil, which also rejected all other applicants for the job.

However Kenny will remain as a caretaker Taoiseach until a new government is formed.

Four nominees were put forward for Taoiseach - but all were defeated by overwhelming margins, with Enda Kenny defeated by 57 votes to 94.

Micheal Martin got the support of 43 TDs, Gerry Adams 24, and Richard Boyd Barrett just 9.

Once the four votes had taken place, Enda Kenny announced he would be resigning as Taoiseach this evening as soon as the Dáil adjourned for the night:

The four nominees were proposed by prominent members of their own Dáil parties.

Enda Kenny was proposed by FG's youngest TD Noel Rock; Micheal Martin by his party's youngest female TD, Lisa Chambers; Gerry Adams by his party's deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald; and Richard Boyd Barrett by the Anti Austerity Alliance's Ruth Coppinger:

The Dail will this evening adjourn until March 22 when it will come back to discuss various EU meetings and to confirm appointments to a committee on Dáil reform.

In the meantime, talks on a new government will continue - with Labour's leader Joan Burton calling for a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil majority in order to provide stability.

One of the Dáil's newest TDs - Danny Healy-Rae of Kerry - said the day's events were pointless as everyone knew no Taoiseach would be elected: