Sources have said that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Batt O'Keefe is to tender his resignation from the Cabinet.

It will be the sixth vacancy in Cabinet after Mary Harney resigned from health, Dermot Ahern resigned from justice, Noel Dempsey resigned from transport and Tony Killeen resigned from defence, following Micheal Martin's departure from foreign affairs after a failed leadership challenge.

Official confirmation of his departure is still awaited this morning, but sources have indicated he is tendering his resignation.

The current Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Minister has pulled out of the announcement of 150 jobs in his native Cork.