EU: As EU justice ministers meet in Brussels, Deaglán de Bréadún, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, assesses the chances of progress
The significance of the Madrid atrocity was that it showed there was no special dispensation for Europe.
Not for nothing has it been described as "Our 9/11".
But when the rhetoric and expressions of horror have died down, the hard, practical work of preventing a repetition falls to the justice and home affairs ministers who meet today in Brussels to review the situation and chart a way forward.
While numerous organisations have demonstrated the capacity in the past to inflict horror on the citizenry, such as the IRA, Red Brigades and others, the current preoccupation is with al-Qaeda and its associates or offshoots, who are generally blamed for the Madrid atrocity.
Informed sources say that the al-Qaeda units in Europe are self-sufficient and self-directing, politically, financially and logistically. The decision to launch the attack in Madrid was probably made independently by the unit operating in the region, without consulting Osama bin Laden or his lieutenants. "They don't need the Big Man's orders," as one source puts it.
There is some selfish comfort in the belief, expounded by informed observers, that Ireland is an unlikely target because it sent no troops to Iraq and has a generally friendly attitude to the Arab and Muslim world. In addition Ireland is a small state which is relatively easy to police and its Muslim community is small and well-established.
"Al-Qaeda's problem is with the US and those involved in the American circus."
The main centres of al-Qaeda operations in Europe are said to be Britain and Germany. Lack of progress in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is helping to create a more favourable climate for al-Qaeda among the Muslim communities.
"Don't underestimate what happened in Spain," says another observer. There would be "more to come" if Europe did not take a clear and co-ordinated stand on the Israeli-Palestinian situation.
"Al-Qaeda is the most organised movement in the world," according to one source. "The Italian government is in danger after the change in Spain."
Meanwhile, former taoiseach John Bruton believes the move by his successor, Bertie Ahern, to have the solidarity and mutual assistance clause in the proposed constitutional treaty adopted now by the EU member-states is a welcome but insufficient step. It was "important politically" but would have no great medium-term effect.
"We've got to have a very robust security response," he said. "The Irish Government needs to 'cop on' that you are not going to get agreement on cross-border crime measures on the basis of unanimity among 25 countries [the present EU 15 member-states plus the 10 accession states\]."
He called on the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, and the British Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, to accept the need for qualified majority voting on a limited number of cross-border legal measures against such crimes as terrorism and fraud.
"Michael McDowell should take a large glass of water and admit he was wrong."
In addition there should be stricter border controls to keep terrorists out. Terror itself needed to be defined more clearly, for legal and other reasons. There was insufficient sharing of information between member-states, he added.
Meanwhile, the European Security Strategy adopted at last December's summit in Brussels said concerted action on terrorism was indispensable. The challenge for today's Brussels meeting is to turn the fine words of that document into practical steps to protect the citizens of Europe.