The health and safety of our Gardai comes under the spotlight as the Garda Representative Association begins its annual conference in Galway this morning.

The GRA, which represents over 10,500 rank-and-file Gardai, is calling for an audit on the number and nature of assaults on its members, which frequently go unreported.

John Parker - GRA representative for the Cork North Division says they also want mandatory sentences for assaults on all emergency personnel.