Fianna Fáil fail in bid to overturn organ donation laws

Fianna Fáil has failed in its bid to overturn Ireland's laws on organ donation.

The Seanad voted 23 to 22 to uphold the laws signed by James Reilly last year.

Fianna Fáil said a single national body should be set up to oversee organ harvesting and transplants in Ireland.

Independent senator Professor John Crown said Ireland's system falls behind those of other countries.

"We with one of the highest incidences of heart disease in the world are one twenty-fourth the rate of heart transplant of the leading country in the world so clearly there is a problem and the problem needs to be addressed," he said.