The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has handed in his resignation as Taoiseach to President Mary McAleese at a brief ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin this evening.
Bertie Ahern formally resigns as Taoiseach this evening
Mr Ahern arrived shortly after 6pm accompanied by the Secretary to the Government, Dermot McCarthy and other officials.
Mr Ahern met briefly with with President McAleese privately before he went into the room where he signed the letter of resignation. After signing, he continued a private meeting with President McAleese.
He will remain as Taoiseach until tomorrow afternoon in accordance with article 28.9.1 of the Constitution.
Mr Ahern's final engagement as Taoiseach will be tomorrow morning when he will lead the Government in the annual remembrance of the Easter Rising at Arbour Hill.
Brian Cowen was unanimously elected as Uachtarán Fhianna Fáil at a special meeting of the Fianna Fáil Ard Chomhairle in Dublin earlier this evening. He has already been chosen as leader-designate of the parliamentary party and is now the seventh president of Fianna Fáil.
Mr Cowen described his appointment as leader and Uachtarán of Fianna Fáil as the greatest honour of his political career to date.
His election as Taoiseach will take place in the Dáil tomorrow afternoon. Fine Gael will nominate Enda Kenny for the post and Labour will propose party leader Eamon Gilmore, but Mr Cowen is set to be elected.
Mr Cowen will go to the Áras to receive his seal of office tomorrow before returning to the Dáil to announce the names of his cabinet.
There was continuing speculation about cabinet changes yesterday, with Micheál Martin, Dermot Ahern and Noel Dempsey featuring as candidates for Minister for Finance and Brian Lenihan as a possible Tánaiste in addition to his current post as Minister for Justice. Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan is expected to be given a different portfolio and Minister of State for Children Brendan Smith is tipped for promotion.
Earlier today, Mr Ahern and Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley jointly opened the new €25 million Battle of the Boyne site.
The Taoiseach said the fact that he and Dr Paisley had come together at the site today "shows us once again that our history need not divide us".
"In recent years, many of us from the nationalist tradition have come to a greater appreciation of the history, traditions and identity of those of you from the unionist tradition with whom we share this island. We have come to understand the pride you take in your history and to recognise that your history is our history too," he said.
Mr Ahern said he hoped people will travel from all over the island to visit the Boyne centre and to "develop the greater mutual understanding that is essential to peace and reconciliation".
"We need - all of us - to understand our shared history if we are to build a shared future. The principles and ideals that we hold dear are the same - liberty and equality, democracy and peace. If we hold fast to those shared ideals, our children will have an inheritance to treasure."
Dr Paisley said there could be no turning back to the dark days of violent dispute on the island of Ireland.
“To the bad old days, there can be no turning back,” he said.
“The killing times must be ended forever and no tolerance must be given to any who advocate their return. A strong dedication to peace and an intolerance of murder must drive us forward. This must be the end of all atrocities and the building of the way to peace.”
Using original 17th century swords, the Taoiseach and the First Minister jointly cut the ribbon at the site.
Mr Ahern's resignation marks the end of his 11-year stint as head of the Government.
Elected Taoiseach in 1997 and winning three successive General Elections for Fianna Fáil, Mr Ahern was the country’s second longest serving premier after party founder Eamon De Valera.
In a move that apparently rules out an imminent move to another high-profile political role, Mr Ahern has written to his constituents promising to continue to represent them in the Dáil until the next general election.
Mr Ahern made the commitment in a recent letter to households in his Dublin Central constituency, which was sent after his resignation announcement last month.