A vote of no confidence in Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has been passed by Garda Representative Association (GRA) members.

The no-confidence motion was passed by 98.7% in favour to 1.3% against, on a ballot of almost 11,000 rank and file gardaí.

The Commissioner said he should not have been subjected to the vote and that he will not resign. The vote was the first such ballot in the 100-year history of the force.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee stated her confidence in the commissioner's leadership.

The official result is due to be announced later this morning.

The GRA is to hold a special delegate conference in Co Kilkenny in a fortnight to discuss the implications of the vote and what further action, if any, to take.

Low morale

Contentious issues in the force include recruitment, retention, suspensions, discipline, bureaucracy as well as a statement by the GRA that the commissioner refuses to accept that morale is low, or to engage on health and wellbeing.

The GRA said a rostering dispute which requires members to work six days in a row instead of the current four days, is "the last straw".

Commissioner Harris said the roster dispute can be resolved at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).