Some 42 civilians will be appointed to work in passport control in Dublin Airport today.

The move from Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald is aimed at easing delays in the area, and allowing more garda resources to be focused on community policing.

It is hoped border control at the airport will be run entirely by civilians by the end of this year.

Overall, 80 staff are to man the immigration control booths at Dublin Airport - replacing 125 gardaí, who will be able to return to frontline duties.

The Department of Justice has said that further phases this year will focus on deploying civilian officers to other major ports of entry, and the transfer of the immigration permission registration function from the gardaí to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).

The move to a full civilian operation in Dublin Airport Terminal 1 is expected to be completed by the summer, with Terminal 2 completed by December.

Since May 2013, four e-Gates have been operational in Terminal 1 on a pilot basis. Ms Fitzgerald confirmed that the INIS were currently preparing a business case for an expansion of the scheme.