The government's been defeated in another vote in the Seanad.

Senators rejected the proposed agenda for the day, which would have seen them spend the day discussing new safety procedures for offshore drilling.

Opposition parties are instead calling for a debate with the Arts minister Heather Humphreys on the controversial sale of the Beit paintings - but were defeated in a vote on whether to arrange that debate.

However they then mustered enough numbers to defeat the government in a final vote on whether to adopt the day's agenda - leaving leader Maurice Cummins with no option but to adjourn business.

Eventually Senator Cummins - the government's chief representative in the upper house - agreed to organise a last-minute debate on the sale of the paintings with Minister Humphreys at 4:30pm this afternoon.

The government has not had a majority in the Seanad since the John McNulty affair last year, which resulted in the election of independent senator Gerard Craughwell.