Government to address concerns over organs

The Government has promised to address concerns about organ donation numbers after it escaped political embarrassment and narrowly defeated a motion to annul legislation on transplants.

Ireland’s transplant record came under the spotlight yesterday as the Seanad held an emergency sitting after Fianna Fáil forced its recall.

A tied vote of 22 senators on each side of the debate on the EU directive on organ donations saw the coalition relying on the casting vote of the Cathaoirleach Paddy Burke to defeat the motion.