The government has voted down a Fianna Fáil attempt to block the appointment of a new chairman of Eirgrid.

Fianna Fáil wanted the Oireachtas Transport Committee to veto the appointment of John O'Connor as the new head of the company.

But the government has successfully forced through an amendment which supported Mr. O'Connor.

A spokesman said the government still had full confidence in Mr. O'Connor as the chairman of Eirgrid, despite his admission that he would not personally want to live beside a pylon.

On December 3rd, he told Fine Gael's Patrick O'Donovan he would not live beside an electricity pylon, asking "who would?".

Mr. O'Connor formerly worked for An Bord Pleanala, but he has insisted his role with the electricity transmission organisation is not a conflict of interest.

However Fianna Fáil had said that because of possible conflicts, they would not support his nomination to the position of Chairman.