The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, has said the Firearms Act has been radically transformed by new legislation which will allow minimum mandatory sentences to be imposed by the courts from October.
He was speaking as new measures to tackle organised crime, attacks on emergency personnel and increased detention powers for gardaí take effect today.
The Criminal Justice Act also includes a provision for the establishment of an amnesty to allow people to hand in firearms, knives and other offensive weapons without fear of prosecution.
Gardaí have also been given a range of new powers, including more time to question people in murder cases and the power to take saliva and mouth swabs.
Mr McDowell said the amnesty on weapons would take place next month.
