A GARDA Representatives Association election banned by the Government as part of its attempts to resolve the internal Garda dispute appears to be going ahead.
Last month, the Govermnent introduced legislation to stop the election of officers to the central executive and local district committees of the GRA. The legislation, Statutory Instrument 222, forbids the GRA from holding elections until a newly constituted association is set up next March.
However, the GRA instituted a legal challenge to the legislation and is due to have its case before the High Court by the end of this month.
It is understood a total of 1,300 ballot papers have been issued, apparently in defiance of the Government's statutory instrument, in areas where positions within the GRA are being contested, including Cork, Wexford, Waterford and Limerick.
Most of the seats in the district committees and central executive are unchallenged so only a part of the 6,500 or so GRA members are being balloted.
The GRA had already insisted the elections will go ahead and the Government's action is unwarranted interference in its internal affairs.