Ned O'Keeffe, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture has resigned. In a tv interview, Mr O'Keeffe accused the Taoiseach of withdrawing from a deal he claims they struck before Christmas which, he said would have facilitated a move to another junior ministry thus avoiding resignation.
Mr O'Keeffe's resignation comes as an investigation beginsinto his alleged breach of ethics legislation. The East Cork TD has protested his innocence insisting he had done nothing improper, illegal or unethical.
The Taoiseach cameunder fire in the Dáil during the week, remaining silent whenRuairí Quinn called on him to express his support for the minister, and it is thought pressure was applied on Ned O'Keefe to resign or face the sack.
The Public Offices Commission decidedon Thursday to investigate whether Mr O'Keeffe breached the Ethicsin Public Office Act.
The Ethics in Public Office Act insists that material interests in such cases have to be declared ahead of any parliamentary vote.
The investigation concerns his non-disclosure of his familyfarm's licence to feed meat-and-bonemeal to pigs.
But a Government source said the intervention of the Public Offices Commission had underlined the seriousness of the situation.
Mr Ahern said he had accepted Mr O'Keeffe's resignation with regret and paid tribute to his "diligence and enthusiasm" in office.
Mr O'Keeffe, who has represented his East Cork constituency in the Dail for the Fianna Fail party for 18 years, became a minister when Mr Ahern won office at the head of a coalition government in 1997.