A FURTHER split in the Garda Representative Association could occur today over a decision to block a ballot of all officers of garda rank about setting up a newly constituted association to resolve the three year old internal dispute.
It is understood that most of the 22 remaining GRA divisional representatives will decide at a central executive meeting today to block the ballot set for this week.
The ballot is on proposed structures worked but at talks involving GRA and breakaway representatives held in February under the chairmanship of the ICTU general secretary, Mr Peter Cassells.
The GRA was to distribute voting papers at the weekend and voting was to have been completed by Friday.
While the breakaway groups representing around 3,600 of the 8,000 gardai distributed ballots the GRA has held back and will probably prevent its members from voting.
Instead, the GRA seems to be seeking a pay settlement from Government before any ballot of members on a new association.
Government and Garda management had hoped the ballot would resolve the internal dispute and reunify the GRA, which has already split twice. The first split three years ago produced the Garda Federation with around 2,500 members and the second led four rural Garda divisions to withdraw from GRA central executive committee meetings two years ago.
There were signs yesterday that six or seven remaining divisional representatives who support the ballot could pull out of the CEC over the decision to block the ballot.
This could mean that the GRA, the only statutorily recognised staff association for officers of garda rank, could be left representing a minority of members.
The motion to be discussed today by the CEC proposes that the association "does not participate in any ballot on a unified association until the priority issues affecting our members, namely: a) our pay claim, and b) our demand for an independent commission into garda pay, are resolved to our satisfaction".
By Friday 10 divisional representatives had signalled their support for the proposal to block the ballot. These included the Roscommon/Galway East, Dublin Metropolitan Area North Central, Clare, Sligo, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo, DMA East, Longford/ Westmeath and Waterford divisions.
Only 22 of the 26 divisions are represented at the CEC since four divisional representatives left in protest two years ago. The motion requires the support of only one other CEC member and the casting vote of the president to be passed. Sources close to the committee expect the motion to be passed.
Meanwhile, the GRA leadership is apparently set to continue with its planned public demonstration from Parnell Square, along O'Connell Street to the gates of the Dail on Wednesday afternoon.
Initially, officers up to superintendent rank supported the demonstration, the first in the force's history. But last week the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and Association of Garda Superintendents decided to pull out. The dissident group, the Garda Federation, also does not support the demonstration.