The Government has 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 instead called for a debate with Arts Minister Heather Humphreys on the controversial sale of a number of paintings from the Beit collection.

A last-minute debate on the subject has now been arranged for 4:30 this afternoon.

Arts Minister Heather Humphreys is set to attend.

The trustees of the Beit Foundation have told the Minister that they intend to press ahead with the sale of the paintings.

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.