The Government was today urged to speedily set up procedures to allow the passage of senior members of the Garda into the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
A senior delegation from the SDLP met the Minister for Justice, Mr Michael McDowell in Dublin to present a document on the issue and to discuss enhanced cross-border co-operation in other area.
Party chairman Mr Alex Attwood and Justice Spokesman Mr Alban Maginness said the subject was "wide-ranging" and outlined major proposals to develop all-Ireland integration and co-operation on legal, policing and rights issues.
"Following Patten, radical breakthroughs in PSNI/Garda co-operation are being worked up, including the entry of Garda officers into the PSNI and long-term exchange and secondments between the two police services.
"The SDLP urged the Irish government to table legislation in the Dail within days or weeks to enable Garda officers to enter the PSNI with full constabulary power and that the officers should be identified to be available to the PSNI under secondments or long-term exchanges.
"These methods can usefully build up the expertise and availability of experienced officers in the PSNI at a time when there is a deficit in qualified PSNI officers in certain areas," he added.
Party Justice spokesman Mr Alban Maginness also outlined a number of all-Ireland law and justice proposals during the meeting.
He said: "The SDLP proposed the quick development of an all-Ireland Charter of Rights, to upgrade rights protection throughout the island."
Mr Maginness said there was also a need for an all-Ireland Law Reform Commission which could harmonise current policy and deliver new laws to best serve the common interests of the people of Ireland.
"In areas from the environment to public safety, from health to agriculture, there are vast opportunities to harmonise and integrate the legal system on the island benefiting all and threatening none," he said.
PA