THE MOVE TO annul the statutory instrument which gives effect to European legislation on organ transplant law has been defeated by a single vote.
Seanad chairman Paddy Burke used his casting vote to break a tie after 22 senators had each voted for and against the annulment.
Former Fine Gael Senators Fidelma Healy Eames and Paul Bradford, who both lost the party whip last month, voted against the government ranks in favour of the annulment.
In total, 15 senators were absent from the vote, including the Fine Gael leader of the house Maurice Cummins and Fianna Fáil’s spokesperson on health, Senator Marc McSharry.
Junior health minister Alex White had said that annulling the directive would “fly in the face” of improving the organ transplantation system.
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