LEO Varadkar has been confirmed as the new leader of Fine Gael - and looks set to become the youngest Taoiseach in the history of the State aged just 38.

Frontrunner Leo battled for the coveted role against Simon Coveney, a 44-year-old father-of-three from Cork.

4 Leo Varadkar celebrates after he was elected Taoiseach Credit: PA:Press Association

The Dubliner won 70 per cent of the parliamentary vote after getting the 55 per cent of councillor's backing earlier on.

Overall Varadkar won the race with 60 per cent of the party backing him and becomes the 11th leader of Fine Gael.

The Fine Gael leadership race - and with it the fight to be Taoiseach - began in the middle of May after Enda Kenny confirmed the long-awaited date for his departure.

4 Varadkar and Coveney show unity after the final result Credit: PA:Press Association

Ireland's new Taoiseach is not expected to be formally confirmed until June 13 when the Dail resumes following a week long break.

Speaking after the vote, current Taoiseach Enda Kenny offered his "heartiest congratulations" to Deputy Varadkar on his election as Leader of the Fine Gael party.

"This is a tremendous honour for him and I know he will devote his life to improving the lives of people across our country.

"He will have my full support in the work that lies ahead.

4 The vote was being tallied from after 2pm Credit: Getty Images

“The most important priority has to be the continued progress of our country led by Fine Gael in Government. I know that Leo has the capacity to provide the leadership required in order to achieve this.”

“I want to also thank and pay tribute to Simon Coveney for making the Leadership Election a real contest.

"This has been a wonderful exercise in democracy for the Fine Gael party," he added.

4 Varadkar replaces Enda Kenny as Fine Gael leader and is likely to become Taoiseach Credit: PA:Press Association

Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin TD commented: “I wish to congratulate Leo Varadkar on his election as Fine Gael Leader. This is a proud moment for him and his family.

“Like many people I am glad that the long standing issue over the leadership of the Fine Gael party is now settled.

"Irish politics over the last twelve months has not been as productive as it could or should have been, and there is no doubt that the internal dynamic within Fine Gael has been the most influential factor in this."

He continued: “Fianna Fáil remains committed to delivering in full the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

“I look forward to meeting with the new Leader of Fine Gael... and delivering on the commitments in our three year agreement."

How the Fine Gael leadership vote is calculated The new leader of Fine Gael was decided in an electoral college system that gives the Fine Gael parliamentary party, made up of 73 TDs, senators and MEPs, 65 per cent of the vote.

The 21,000 rank-and-file members of the party have 25% and 235 local representatives 10 per cent.

As the first openly gay Irish Cabinet Minister, Mr Varadkar has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks of the party.

He was first elected a TD ten years ago, having joined Fine Gael while still in school.

In a radio interview in January 2015, on his 36th birthday, he revealed he was gay and was a prominent supporter of the Yes campaign in the same-sex marriage referendum the following May.

He kept tight-lipped on his leadership hopes in the days that followed Kenny's resignation, as nine Senators and 17 TDs gave him their backing on the first day of campaigning.

Varadkar's team also secretly launched a new campaign website - asking the public for help.

Supporters of Varadkar claim their man has the charisma to be the country’s next leader but Coveney insisted: “People are not looking for a Taoiseach with an X factor.”

Varadkar was tight-lipped in the early days of the campaign, but finally broke his silence to the Irish Sun on May 19 - revealing he was happy with how it had been going at that stage.

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Varadkar and Coveney then battled in out in four party hustings across the country last week.

Leo accused his fellow Fine Gael contender Coveney of being divisive and dishonest - but Coveney hit back as voting began.

But the writing was on the wall for Coveney from the start, as Leo cruised to victory, with the Housing Minister needing a massive vote from the party membership to claw back his rival's lead.

Varadkar's Fine Gael story so far Varadkar graduated from the School of Medicine in Trinity College in 2003 and spent several years working as a junior doctor in Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown before qualifying as a GP in 2010. He was only 20 and in his second year in medical school when he contested the local elections in 1999 — but he only scored 380 first ­preference votes and was eliminated on the fifth count. He was co-opted onto Fingal County Council in 2004, before being elected to Dail Eireann in the 2007 ­general election. Varadkar was immediately appointed as Fine Gael’s spokesman for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. He was re-elected in 2011 when Fine Gael came into power and he was made Transport Minister. In a cabinet reshuffle in 2014, he replaced James Reilly as Health Minister. He was returned to the Dail in the 2016 general election and was subsequently handed the job of Social ­Protection Minister.

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