Co-operation between the Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland will increase to combat dissident republican terrorists and organised crime, the Minister of Justice has said.
Speaking following a meeting with the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, in Dublin, Mr McDowell said they would in future face "a seamless security approach".
However, the Government's commitment to greater co-operation will not mean extra legislation in the short-term above the list of measures announced in recent months.
The Terrorist Offences Bill, which is principally aimed at foreign terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, has passed Second Stage in the Dáil, and is awaiting Committee Stage.
Last month, Mr McDowell received Cabinet approval to draft legislation which will allow Garda and PSNI officers to serve in both jurisdictions.
The significance of the meeting between Mr McDowell and Mr Murphy had been emphasised strongly in advance by Northern Ireland Office sources.
"They are keen to get it across to unionists that if a new deal is done that we will crack down heavily on terrorists," one source close to yesterday's meeting told The Irish Times.
Following the "constructive, useful" two-hour meeting, Mr Murphy said: "We have come to the conclusion that paramilitarism is now irrelevant and redundant.
"We want to ensure that we catch criminals more easily, more effectively, more robustly and that there is no safe haven for criminals anywhere on the island of Ireland," he said.
The Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, and the Chief Constable of the PSNI, Mr Hugh Orde, offered the two ministers a briefing on the threat posed by dissident republicans.
Describing the report as "sobering but at the same time satisfying", Mr McDowell said co-operation between the Garda and the PSNI was at a new high.
"We are evaluating the dissident republican threat, which is a real threat motivated to frustrate the wishes of the Irish people to have the Good Friday agreement implemented in all its aspects."
He said the Irish and British governments were determined to "build on the relationships" to build "an area of security which is unparalleled in our history".
Questioned about next week's Hillsborough talks between the parties, the Northern Secretary of State was careful not to create any expectations.
Asked if he believed that the talks would produce a deal, he said: "I can't say. I don't know what will happen. The solution to all of this is to make sure that we go forwards, not backwards."
Meanwhile, the leader of the SDLP, Mr Mark Durkan, held separate meetings with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
Speaking after he met Mr Cowen, Mr Durkan said: "I want to be as confident and optimistic as I can, but I also have to be realistic. There is no point in setting expectations."
He said next week's talks would have to result in a clear, published agreement to reassure members of the public who have begun to lose faith in the Good Friday agreement. Past negotiations, such as Weston Park, had resulted in conditional, secret agreements which eventually damaged public confidence when they fell apart.
"If this is about giving the public confidence, then we have to give them some clarity," said Mr Durkan, who was accompanied by fellow SDLP figures Ms Brid Rodgers and Mr Sean Farren.
