THE LABOUR Party's Alan Kelly has announced his resignation as leader of the party.
Kelly had been in the role for just under two years.
The 46-year-old said he was stepping down after his party colleagues informed him that they had "lost collective confidence" in his leadership.
"This was a surprise to me, but I accepted the decision immediately," he said.
Mr Kelly confirmed his resignation in an emotional address outside Leinster House on Wednesday night.
He explained there had been a number of "frank discussions" in recent weeks within Labour, but particularly over the past few days.
"I have to acknowledge that we haven't been able, as a party, to move on in the opinion polls and I have a deep regret about that."
Mr Kelly, a father of two from County Tipperary, is a former government minister, senator and a member of the European Parliament.
He first served as a junior minister in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and was later promoted to the role of minister for the environment.
However, the Labour Party has spent the past six years in opposition after the 2016 election saw its worst ever result.
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