The Minister for Justice has said the ramming of a garda car by another vehicle during an incident in Cherry Orchard in Dublin last night was "absolutely unacceptable" and there must be consequences for those responsible for it.
Video footage of the event has circulated on social media, during which a group of people are shown to be cheering when the car collides with the garda vehicle.
Ms McEntee said this type of criminality will not be accepted and she has asked the Garda Commissioner to look specifically at what more can be done to tackle this type of anti-social behaviour.
There will also be a focus on what can be done to ensure communities where these incidents happen are supported, Minister McEntee said. She added they need to be supported in a comprehensive and holistic way.
Speaking to RTÉ News, she said those who were responsible showed disregard for the law, for the gardaí who were carrying out their job, but above all a disregard to "hard working people who live in the area and who should not have to put up with this on their doorstep".
"We will always support these communities, we need to come together to do that but we need to be very clear that those who were responsible for last night, there have to be consequences."
Minister McEntee said she is committed to increasing garda resources and also make sure gardaí have the necessary technology they need.
"We have increased support for new gardaí this year, we will do the same in the upcoming budget and make sure that we expand our force and also make sure gardaí have the resources, have the equipment, the technology that they need to respond to these incidents."
She said she is working to ensure gardaí will have body worn cameras, number plate recognition and new garda cars as part of the new resources.
She also said a "holistic approach" is needed to make sure gardaí are working with local authorities and local communities to get to the "heart of some of these issues" and have a comprehensive response while supporting communities.
She said she would encourage people to come forward where they see these incidents happen.
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Earlier the Garda Commissioner said the incident was "disgraceful and concerning" and added that public order units have been "stood up" in the area.
Mr Harris said a full investigation is now under way into the incident.
"The public order unit has been stood up. It had been stood up over the weekend, but that's going to be stood up now and available," Mr Harris said this afternoon.
President of the Garda Representative Association Brendan O'Connor said the gardaí whose vehicle was rammed last night are "traumatised" by what happened.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today With Claire Byrne, Mr O'Connor said the video is shocking for members of the public to witness.
But, he added, events last night are "not so shocking" for gardaí on the frontline who have become accustomed to the "rising tide of people who are willing to challenge, confront and attack gardaí".
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He commended the driver of the garda vehicle and the garda observer who were able to remove themselves from danger.
Mr O'Connor said the incident raises all sorts of questions about everything from equipment to training and protocols.
He said gardaí are investigating the incident and examining social media posts.
Any other police service in the western world have footage from a car camera or officer camera at the very least, he said, and "this is indicative of under resourcing and out of date equipment".
The basic things are not there for our members to keep the public safe, Mr O'Connor added.
The GRA President also warned that frontline units have "become so depleted that we are only in a position to provide response policing and response policing is not effective policing".
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The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) said the ramming incident was "very disturbing" and should be "condemned by all politicians and community leaders".
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, AGSI President Antoinette Cunningham said social media is a "huge factor" in these types of incidents.
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"The worry here for the people we represent is that this encourages copycat type incidents and that these young people and onlookers feel empowered by these videos, and it encourages more of the same type of behaviour," she said.
Gardaí last night said they were responding to reports of dangerous driving at the time of the crash, and that two vehicles were observed "driving erratically", failing to stop when requested.
There were no injuries in the incident.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald condemned the incident, described the events as "despicable" for both the gardaí and also the people living in the area.
"The finest of people live in Cherry Orchard," she told reporters this morning.
She called for an increase in services and supports to ensure that communities are safe and that gardaí can carry out their duties.
Ms McDonald added that residential areas across Dublin have a problem in terms of anti-social behaviour and there has not been an adequate response.
People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett echoed those calls, adding when communities are "let down, then bad things are going to happen".
Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time tonight, Sinn Féin Councillor in Ballyfermot, Daithi Doolan, said the incident at Cherry Orchard last night is not a once off and it is a nightly occurence since July by young people in the community, who he said are "terrorising" others.
He hopes this latest incident is a tipping point to reclaim this community.
"It is unacceptable and must stop," Cllr Doolan said.
He said part of the solution is a greater increase in garda resources and personnel that is "visible" and "liable" for the community of Cherry Orchard.
He said longer term there needs to be more engagement with young people and investment to link in with this age group .
Gardaí are appealing to members of the public who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.
They are also appealing to anyone who was travelling in the Cherry Orchard area at the time, who may have camera footage.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Ballyfermot Garda Station on 01-6667200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.
