The Garda Representative Association wants a wage increase of €10,000 a year for new gardaí.

They say newly-qualified members of the force should be paid the average industrial wage of €33,000 a year.

At the moment new gardaí are paid €23,000 a year after graduating from Templemore training college for gardaí.

It has emerged that three new gardaí recently resigned from the force, because of low pay.

Ciaran O'Neill is the vice president of the Garda Representative Association (GRA).

He says gardaí are being underpaid for a dangerous job:

"There is an incremental pay scale and the increments are based on experience.

But these new recruits are going straight on to the front line. These are the people who are putting their lives on the line every day. These are the people who are putting stab proof vests on every day.

Like we have ten members, on average, every week, injured as a result of their work with An Garda Síochána."