New legislation aimed at tackling sham marriages comes into force today.

It gives marriage registrars extensive powers to prevent marriage for immigration purposes.

There have been increasing allegations of sham marriages in recent years.

These involve statistically improbable patterns of marriage from a cultural and language perspective.

These include women from Eastern Europe and more recently Portugal, with men from the Indian sub-continent.

Registrars are being given the right to investigate and form an opinion of the accuracy of marriage applications.

They can also refuse to issue a marriage registration form.

They will also be able to inform and make inquiries of the Naturalisation and Immigration Service.

The Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald says the right to marry under EU Free Movement laws is abused in some cases and this will not be tolerated.

Ms Fitzgerald is raising concerns about the potential for people to be coerced in sham marriages, and even trafficked here for that purpose.

She says these new laws are essential to stopping such cases.