New anti-drone technology at Dublin Airport is not expected to be operational in time for the busy Easter holiday period.
However airport operator daa said it hoped the system would be up and running by the summer period.
Around 485,000 people are set to pass through the airport this coming weekend, making it the busiest weekend of the year so far.
Easter Monday will be the busiest day of the five-day period, with 103,000 passengers flying in and out of the airport.
Daa has advised passengers to arrive at their terminal two hours in advance of a short-haul flight and three hours before a long-haul flight.
It said it has purchased anti-drone equipment and begun to provide training, but is working through regulatory requirements before it can be deployed.
In the first eight weeks of the year, the airport was closed six times due to illegal drone activity.
This led to multiple diversions and delays for thousands of passengers.
In a statement, the Department of Transport said that the daa had placed an order for anti-drone technology with an international supplier and in the meantime has taken delivery of temporary equipment and is training its staff on its use.
"This is a sophisticated and powerful piece of technology and needs to be deployed and operated safely," the department said.
"The daa is engaging with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) on the approval of the equipment for use in the airport operating environment.
"Daa is also engaging with ComReg in relation to radio spectrum matters and impact on other spectrum users," a department spokesperson said.
They added that due diligence is necessary from a safety perspective and has been done in every other State where counter drone technology has been deployed.
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Kevin Cullinane, Group Head of Communications at daa, said it would take a few more weeks to complete the regulatory process.
The intention is, he said, that the system will be in operation for the summer period.
Mr Cullinane told RTÉ's Drivetime that the technology jams the radio signal of a drone and sends it back to where it came from. In a serious situation it could bring down the drone.
He said that he could not discuss the cost of the technology for security reasons.
However, passengers, guests, daa employees and airline staff can be reassured that the airport operator has the best possible technology that has been proven to operate well in UK and European airports, Mr Cullinane added.
He also said the system was paid for out of daa's own reserves and reminded people that it is illegal to operate a drone within 5km of any Irish airport.
"It's reckless, it's dangerous, it's illegal. There are many places in the country where it is safe to operate a drone - just don't do one at an airport, or indeed any other sensitive location".
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'Weeks' before drone technology operational at Dublin Airport
Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers said the Government has worked with the Dublin Airport operator to quickly purchase anti-drone technology and to train staff.
"In parallel with that we have a regulatory process under way with the Irish Aviation Authority and with ComReg so that the counter drone technology can be safety deployed and all agencies and departments are working to ensure it can be operational as quickly as possible," Mr Chambers said.
"It is important we have the safe deployment of counter drone technology and to ensure it is deployed safety we have to have satisfaction from the regulators," he added.
Ryanair has called on Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and daa to confirm that anti-drone equipment will be in place and ready to operate over the busy Easter holiday period.
"We purchased the anti-drone technology a number of weeks ago and airport fire officers at Dublin Airport have been trained on how to use it," a daa spokesperson said.
"We are currently working through regulatory requirements before we are allowed use it," daa said.
Ryanair described drone-related disruptions earlier this year as unacceptable.
"Transport Minister Eamon Ryan promised to protect passengers with anti-drone equipment, so he must now confirm that this equipment is in place and fully operational at Dublin Airport in advance of the busy Easter holidays, so that Irish passengers/visitors and their families will not suffer any more closures/disruptions due to illegal drone activity at Dublin Airport," a Ryanair spokesperson said.
Aer Lingus said it wants the technology to be deployed as a matter of urgency, saying that any regulatory requirements to enable this should be facilitated.
"These urgent steps are required to remove the threat of further disruption for passengers," an Aer Lingus spokesperson said.
