A new fingerprinting system will allow gardaí to electronically capture and store the fingerprints of all non-EU nationals and to take such prints at ports and airports.
The automatic fingerprint identification system (AFIS) was officially unveiled today by Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan.
It has cost €7 million so far but this will rise with a further roll-out next year, when it is linked to the Garda's main Pulse system and fed into international police networks through Europol and Interpol.
Mr Lenihan said the Government was committed to providing the Garda with information and communications technology systems that will place them on a par with "the best-equipped police forces in the world".
He added: "I am also committed to ensuring the State meets its responsibilities in the wider context of EU co-operation both in the fight against crime and the co-ordination of member states' efforts in respect of immigration and asylum."
Ireland participates in the Eurodac fingerprinting system, which matches and stores the fingerprints of all people over the age of 14 who apply for asylum in the EU.
"This new system enhances the States' capabilities by facilitating a faster exchange of fingerprint data and results with the central Eurodac database," Mr Lenihan said.
Prints are captured electronically and transferred to the database. There is an almost immediate response if a person seeking asylum in Ireland has previously applied for asylum in another EU country, the Minister added.
The new system, which replaces one in operation since 1996, will also be linked to the Garda Pulse system. It can also separately store palm prints.
New Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said the public money will be well spent by producing increased detection rates for crime scene evidence.
"One of the features of this system will be the ability to have electronic equipment out in the different divisions and the speedy passing of that data to the central database for checking ," he said.
"We want to identify people quicker rather than later. "
Additional reporting: PA