Legislation to extend of the bank guarantee scheme beyond its initial two-year period has passed all stages in the Dáil.
The Financial Measures Bill was passed by 74 votes to 60.
The Bill also allows the Minister for Finance to extend the bank guarantee scheme by Ministerial Order.
Brian Lenihan rejected suggestions by Labour's Pat Rabbitte that the Bill gave the Minister unlimited powers.
Minister Lenihan said this was not the case, and that he cannot exercise the order without prior approval from both Houses of the Oireachtas.
It now goes to the Seanad.
