Army chaplain Fr Paul Murphy remains in serious condition in hospital after suffering multiple stab wounds outside Renmore Barracks in Galway on Thursday night.
Gardaí are questioning a teenage boy in connection with the incident.
Members of the Defence Forces fired warning shots and restrained the teenager at the scene, who Gardaí then arrested.
Galway councillor Alan Cheevers said the State must crack down on such attacks.
“It’s very, very concerning, and with the rise in knife crime, I think the Department of Justice will have to consider introducing new legislation,” he said.
“People are going around carrying knives like this - it’s very, very serious.
“This is something that we don’t want to see repeated. We’ve seen incidents like this happen around the country before, and I think it’s something we really need to address.”
'Practice gunfire'
Speaking to Newstalk in Renmore, one man said he hears “practice gunfire” from the barracks “pretty often.”
“You hear shouting and screaming around here, but you don’t expect it to be that,” he added.
Another resident said the incident was a “worry for our kids.”
“It’s a worry for all the elderly people living around here on their own - it’s the last place you’d expect anything to happen.”
Taoiseach
Taoiseach Simon Harris said he is being kept informed of the investigation into what he calls a "serious attack on a member of the Defence Forces".
"I have been kept informed of the trajectory of the investigation by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee who is being briefed by An Garda Síochána," he said.
"A serious line of inquiry is being pursued and at this time it is important to allow Gardaí to work to establish all the facts.
"I have also spoken to the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Mícheál Martin on the quick action of Defence Forces personnel who intervened during the attack.
"My thoughts remain with Defence Forces Chaplin, Fr Paul Murphy, and on behalf of the Government I wish him a speedy recovery and want to thank the officers of the Gardaí and Defence Forces for their response," he added.
Gardaí are also investigating whether the stabbing attack was motivated by terrorism.
Main image: File photo of Galway University Hospital, 18-01-2013. Image: Brian Farrell/RollingNews
