The Cabinet has approved amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill dealing with organised crime and drug offences.
The provisions include new offences of supplying drugs to prisoners in the country's jails and allow for the establishment of a Drug Offenders Register.
The Bill will also implement some of the recommendations of the Ferns report including the creation of a criminal offence of reckless endangerment of children.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, said: 'These amendments address a wide range of important issues.'
'Taken together with the proposals already contained in the Bill, they will ensure that the criminal law will be updated and strengthened in several key areas.'
'I have, in particular, been concerned for some time to strengthen the hand of the Gardaí in dealing with firearms offences.'
