The Garda Representative Association says the number of attacks on Gardaí has risen significantly in recent years.
The organisation, which is holding it’s annual conference in Kerry, wants mandatory sentences introduced for those convicted of assaulting officers.
The GRA said it believes the Department of Justice can work with Gardaí to deliver tangible deterrents as figures from the Department of Justice revealed assaults on Gardaí have risen by more than 50 per cent in the past five years.
4,500 Gardaí were attacked over the past five years, an increase of 57 per cent, with over 1,000 of those attacks occurring last year.
Donegal-based garda and Vice President of the GRA, Brendan O’Connor, says it’s having an impact on the number of Gardaí available for duty;