Pressure from the Fianna Fail leadership and an indication from Independent TD Mr Harry Blaney that he would not support him in a crucial confidence vote led to yesterday's resignation of Mr John Ellis from the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee.
Mr Ellis announced his decision to quit yesterday afternoon, ending a five-week controversy that had threatened the stability of the Coalition Government.
Mr Ellis is understood to have come under pressure to resign at a meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, and the chairman of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, in Government Buildings yesterday morning.
While Mr Ahern is thought not to have asked him directly to resign, it is understood the prospect of resignation was discussed, and Mr Ellis was told he was likely to lose the Fine Gael motion of confidence due to have been voted on today by the committee.
This meeting took place amid growing concern in Government circles that Mr Ellis would seek to face down the no-confidence motion. Had he succeeded, the Government would have faced a full Dail vote on the matter, possibly as early as next week, which it was in danger of losing.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Ellis said he had decided to step down because he did not have the necessary support outside Fianna Fail.
He gave a number of interviews outside Leinster House, but according to Fianna Fail's press officer who accompanied him, he had decided which media organisations he wanted to speak to, and he did not wish to speak to The Irish Times.
The IFA said last night, after a three-hour meeting with Mr Ellis, that it had made "no progress" in efforts to secure payment of money owed to farmers.
A spokesman said that Mr Ellis told the IFA he would not attend Friday's meeting of creditors but was willing to meet one of their representatives and to consider any proposals the creditors made.