Ballot papers are being sent to 8,000 gardai today on the pay and productivity deal agreed between Government officials and the leadership of the Garda Representative Association.
The ballot seeks approval for the implementation of the new £55 million PULSE computer system which has not been used since it was installed in major stations last month.
The system is to replace the old computerised records system, which is non-Y2K compliant.
A majority of the GRA's 27-member Central Executive Committee (CEC) voted to accept the Government offer, which is within the parameters of a pay deal agreed at adjudication in July. That deal was rejected twice when the membership of the GRA were balloted this autumn.
While there is no further money on the table for the gardai above the 4.4 per cent payment for implementing productivity measures, a number of non-pay items were added to the deal agreed by the CEC.
The additional elements include a consultative council under which GRA officials can discuss members' grievances with Garda management.
The productivity deal seeks to change city gardai's working rosters as well as implementing PULSE. It is understood three CEC members opposed the acceptance of the latest deal at Tuesday evening's meeting.