A man has been arrested after a garda suffered "horrific injuries" in an assault in the Ballymun area of Dublin.

It happened after gardaí responded to a call about dangerous driving at Gulliver's Retail Park at around 11.30am when a car was driven at speed before colliding with a car and bollard.

It is understood the male garda was injured after being attacked while arresting a man.

The garda appears to have been bitten in the attack and sustained serious injuries to his hand and fingers.

The man in his 30s was arrested and taken to Ballymun Garda Station.

The garda was taken to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown to be treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Minister for Justice Simon Harris said his thoughts were with the Garda who was injured and repeated the Garda call for witnesses to come forward in what he called an "appalling incident".

"We must always remember the dangers Gardaí face when doing their job in keeping us all safe," he said.

"We will always support Gardaí and this year we will legislate for bodycams and increase (the) maximum sentence for assault causing harm."

The Garda Representative Association has condemned the attack on the garda "in the strongest possible terms".

In a statement, a GRA spokesperson said the garda suffered "horrific injuries" in the incident and added they "sincerely hope he makes a full recovery".

"Far too often we are experiencing more frequent violent attacks on our colleagues and it is one of a number of serious issues affecting our members," the spokesperson also said.

The organisation has called on the Government to establish a taskforce to examine "these and other issues of concern".

GRA President Damien McCarthy said there has been an increase in attacks on gadaí.

"Since 2016 we have seen 4,000 incidents where our colleagues have been assaulted while in the course of their duty. And a very alarming statistic is that last year alone approximately 280 attacks on our members were very serious assaults resulting in head injuries and broken bones," he said.

Antoinette Cunnigham, General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, said she was "horrified to hear of the injuries sustained" in a "vicious and horrific attack."

"Incidents like this must be condemned or we run the risk of normalising this type of assault on Garda colleagues," she said on Twitter.

"Thoughts remain with him for his recovery. Our job has become an increasingly dangerous one.

"Our thoughts are with him and his family as he receives treatment for his injuries. Aother serious assault in what's an all too frequent occurrence."

Gardaí have appealed for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them at Ballymun Garda station on 01 6664400.