Ireland's Taoiseach Enda Kenny to resign
Ireland's Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he will resign after the country's newly-elected and deeply-divided parliament could not agree on a new premier.
Mr Kenny's outgoing Fine Gael/Labour coalition government will operate in a caretaker capacity as political parties remain in deadlock after the election on February 26.
On the first day of the new Dail, or lower house of parliament, Mr Kenny and three other nominated candidates failed to secure enough support to be elected as the next Taoiseach.
The other defeated candidates were Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams, Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin and Richard Boyd-Barrett of the Anti-Austerity Alliance/People Before Profit grouping.
After the votes, Mr Kenny travelled to the official residence of Irish President Michael D Higgins, to officially tender his resignation.
Mr Kenny will continue with official duties which will include representing the country at a meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington on St Patrick's Day and at the European Council meeting in Brussels next week.