Proposals to alter the boundaries of a Garda regional or divisional geographical area, or to establish or relocate a divisional or district headquarters are matters in the first instance for the Garda Commissioner in the context of the Annual Policing Plan. I recently approved the 2008 Annual Policing Plan and laid it before the Houses of the Oireachtas. It sets out the Commissioner's proposals to realign the boundaries of Garda Divisions around the country to make them coterminous with local authority boundaries. Included in this is the realignment of the boundary of the Cork North Garda Division. The planned changes will bring about greater efficiencies and effectiveness in facilitating the establishment and functioning of Joint Policing Committees.
A detailed programme of work is currently being developed by An Garda Síochána to implement these planned changes for the Cork North and other Garda Divisions. This programme of work will also examine the geographical areas of district and sub-district stations arising from the regional and divisional boundary realignments set out in the plan and will set out a timetable for the establishment of the new divisions.