There are calls for gardaí to be priorisited for COVID-19 vaccines.
It comes in the wake of the clashes during an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin over the weekend.
Three gardaí were injured - with one taken to hospital - and more than 20 people were arrested.
Damien McCarthy, GRA representative for Dublin Metropolitan Region, told The Pat Kenny Show some demonstrators had ‘no regard’ for the restrictions in place.
He said: “What happened on Saturday afternoon was a very clear, thought-out plan to inflict harm and injury on members of An Garda Síochana.
"On that front, it is regrettable a garda has been hospitalised and is going to undergo surgery on Wednesday morning.”
He said it's 'disgraceful' that fireworks were launched towards gardaí, adding it ‘is only by sheer luck’ that more members weren’t seriously injured.
Mr McCarthy said extra resources had to be brought in from other areas of the city at short notice to respond to the protest.
However, he said it now highlights two issues that need to be addressed.
He said: “One thing must happen straight away: the minister and Commissioner must agree we are to be prioritised to be vaccinated.
"We can no longer be relying on luck and waiting your turn.
“The other thing that needs to be addressed by Government is that this pandemic has drawn significant resources within the organisation, and we simply need a bigger budget to ensure an incident of this nature does not reoccur.”
Gardaí are now working to avoid a repeat of the scenes seen in Dublin, amid concerns an anti-lockdown protest is due to take place in Cork this coming weekend.
Joe Kavanagh, Lord Mayor of Cork, backed calls for members of the force to be prioritised for vaccination.
He told Lunchtime Live: “I think the gardaí are as frontline as you get.
“I think they really need to be prioritised for vaccination.”
