GARDAI have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a reunified representative organisation, but the turnout in the ballot was only 55 per cent. A total of 4,197 voted for the reunification proposal and 437 against it.
The ballot was accompanied by literature outlining the proposals for changing the rules of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) which were demanded by dissident members before they would be prepared to reunite.
Mr Chris Finnegan, spokesman for the Garda Federation, last night welcomed the outcome of the ballot and said he anticipated the vote would be endorsed by the rest of the Garda representatives and underwritten by statutory order.
The outcome of the ballot will be discussed at the annual meeting of the GRA in Ennis, Co Clare, later this month. If the conference endorses the ballot, unification moves should then take place.
Mr Finnegan said if the GRA endorses the ballot, the federation will call an emergency delegate conference to discuss the winding down of the federation and reunification with the GRA. The dissolution of the federation would be put to a ballot of its 2,500 members.
The motion put to the ballot asked members if they agreed to "re-establish a united organisation to represent all members of An Garda Siochana of garda rank.