The Minister for Justice Mr O'Donoghue has ordered a full inquiry into the Garda handling of yesterday's anti-capitalism protest after claims the Garda used excessive force.
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Eighteen people are set to face court on assault, criminal damage and public order offences in coming weeks.
"All I can promise is that we will ensure that there is a full report on this situation and that there is full transparency and full accountability in relation to what happened", Mr O'Donoghue said.
"If people are guilty of assault going beyond the norm of reasonable force then of course they can be charged in relation to it".
Mr O'Donoghue said he had no evidence the gardaí had removed identification numbers prior to a baton charge: "I would regard that as highly irregular and in those circumstances there would be a situation where a complaint could be made".
Witnesses reported seeing officers lashing out with batons at protesters who were blocking a road in the city centre. Television footage also shows gardaí using batons against protesters. Twelve demonstrators were taken to hospital; no gardaí were injured.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio, one witness, named Philip, said he rushed into the city centre after his daughter telephoned to say officers would not allow her to get to her bus stop. He said: "What I saw yesterday I thought an absolute disgrace. They just seemed to surround the crowd who were standing there blowing whistles and shouting slogans and they just charged them.
"They did not seem to have any coherent plan. They could not have possibly known who they were hitting, there were just batons flying everywhere," he said.
He said officers were "egging on protesters" and added: "When they did not get the response they decided to charged them anyway".
Green Party chairman, Mr John Gormley TD, said today the violent scenes last night "emphasised the need for a truly independent assessment of Garda activity."
"It is clear from reports we have received that certain members of the Gardai used excessive force," he said.
"While these situations are often difficult to assess, Gardai should remember that peaceful protest must be regarded as such. It does not warrant the use of truncheons."
Labour Party justice spokesman Mr Brendan Howlin said witnesses, including journalists and photographers, had expressed concern at the Garda action. He said a police ombudsman was needed to investigate such incidents.
The Socialist Workers Party has called for all charges to be dropped immediately and the public release of the CCTV footage from Dame Street last night "to expose the full extent of the police actions".
Mr Kieran Allen, spokesperson for the SWP said "this is the latest in a year-long crusade by the Gardai to break up peaceful demonstrations and criminalise protest in this city."
About 300 protesters began the march at the GPO on O'Connell Street, in central Dublin, and were dispersed by gardaí when they later blocked Burgh Quay. Traffic was stopped for 10 minutes as the "Reclaim the Streets" march by a loose network of political and environmental campaigners was broken up.