Minister for Transport Martin Cullen has contacted the Dublin Airport Authority after officials carrying out an EU security audit uncovered serious breaches in security at the airport.
Inspectors managed to conceal knives in their shoes, a knife was hidden in an item of women's underwear, a handgun was smuggled in down the back of one man's trousers and a replica bomb was concealed inside a bag for check-in.
Mr Cullen's officials met representatives of the authority last night and were advised on measures already taken to address the security issues.
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen
Officials from the Department of Transport will remain in Dublin Airport until the audit ends tomorrow and the Minister has requested a report on the security breaches.
"Security at our Airports is paramount and is taken extremely seriously by Government. My Department awaits the conclusion of this current audit and will scrutinise its findings carefully.
"As with all security audits, should the results require remedial action, such actions will be taken," he said.
He added that it was policy not to publish the results of audits for security reasons.
The Chairman of the Dublin Airport Authority Gary McGann, described the leaking of the report to the media as "unfortunate" adding "security doesn't benefit from public discussion".
Mr McCann told to an Oireachtas Committee on Transport the Dublin Airport Authority "has addressed the specific issues and we're reviewing all the security aspects of the airport and are ramping up anything we need to ramp up".
"Any further increase needed in security will be put in place." Mr McCann added.
Fine Gael Transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell blamed overcrowding for the breaches in security.
"Overcrowding must undoubtedly be a factor in the failure to detect lethal weapons being carried through security.
"However, you would imagine that a country like Ireland, which has had its own terrorist problem for so many years, would ensure that security at the main international airport would be watertight," she added.
Meanwhile a spokesman for Ryanair said he was confident of the security procedures at Dublin airport.
"In our experience the security procedures at Dublin are among the best in Europe and compare favourably with any of the other airports to which we operate," he said.
More than 18 million passengers use Dublin airport each year.
There were reported to have been some minor delays on flights out of Dublin this morning.