Members of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) have voted narrowly not to carry out a review into the events that led to its former chief executive, George McNeice, retiring with a settlement package worth nearly €10 million in late 2012.

In a ballot which was counted last night, members of the doctors’ trade union decided by a margin of 52 per cent to 48 per cent not to go ahead with the planned review.

The organisation's leadership had warned that a review could prove extremely costly and run into legal difficulties. IMO president Prof Trevor Duffy said: "The closeness of the vote reflects the seriousness of the issue we were considering."

Retirement package

The revelations in December 2012 that Mr McNeice had had a potential retirement package of more than €20 million and that he had left, following negotiations, with a deal worth some €9.7 million caused ructions within the IMO.

In early 2013, an extraordinary general meeting voted to carry out a retrospective review which was to examine all matters connected with the employment contract, payments and pension entitlements for Mr McNeice in respect of any role held by him within the IMO and any of its associated companies.

The review was also to look at financial and governance arrangements in the IMO between 1993 and 2012, dealing in particular with the awarding of contracts and third party consultancy payments.

A year ago the IMO’s governing council decided to defer the review. The IMO’s annual conference in April decided to put the issue to a vote by the full membership.

In the run-up to the ballot the IMO’s leadership warned that the review could cost it €1 million or more.