The Garda Representative Association's annual conference has heard that rank and file officers are under severe financial pressure, as well as the pressure of work.
The association claimed that cuts in pay and allowances is having such a detrimental effect on some gardaí that they are being forced to sleep in their cars.
GRA Deputy General Secretary John Healy said a small number are doing so on two out of six days during the week because they cannot afford to rent or buy near their work and cannot afford the fuel to drive 260km a day.
He also said gardaí policing water charge protests have been spat at, pushed, abused and some have been targeted online in an effort to find out where they live.
The GRA said gardaí, like any other worker, should not be subject to such treatment.
Members have also accused some TDs of abusing Dáil privilege.
They said if these deputies are confident of the veracity of their information, they should make their allegations against individual gardaí outside, and not inside, Dáil Éireann.
