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The referendum on the abolition of the Seanad has been defeated by 42,500 votes.
Some 51.8 per cent of the electorate has rejected the proposition to scrap the Upper House with 48.2 per cent voting in favour.
Of the 1,226,374 valid votes cast, 591,937 were in favour and 634,437 votes were against the proposal, a margin of 42,500 votes.
Some 14,355 votes were described as invalid. The total turnout was 39.17 per cent of the electorate.
Irish people love their political representatives more than the latter consider necessary. Surprisingly, the referendum that was to ratify the decision was rejected by a narrow margin.
In recent days, 33 out of 60 members of the Upper House in Dublin had voted in favor of the disappearance of the Senate, considered useless and expensive (20 million euro), 25 were cast, to keep it and 2 abstained.
