THE Cork East Garda Division is to be split into two separate divisions Cork City and Cork North.
Speaking in Cork last night, the Minister for Justice said the new Cork City Division would have its headquarters at Anglesea Street Garda station, while Cork North is to be administered from Fermoy.
The City Division, Ms Owen said, would incorporate Anglesea Street, Mayfield, Togher and Gurranebraher, Cork North would take in Fermoy Mallow Midleton and Cobh.
In accepting the recommendation of the Garda Commissioner, Ms Owen said, she believed that the new arrangements would enhance the policing of both parts of Cork from an operational and administrative perspective.
She added "Cork city faces the same crime problems that all large cities have to contend with and I am satisfied that the Commissioner's reorganisation proposal, which effectively creates a city division, will provide the necessary structure to enable the gardai here to focus on these problems.
"The city and its environs currently have a population of almost 200,000 people, second only to Dublin. The new Cork City Division will have the second highest population per Garda division in the country, while the population of the new Cork North division will ensure that the divisional officer in Cork can concentrate all of his resources on policing the city area.
"It will also provide for a much more effective approach in the management and control of resources and in the development of relevant and effective strategies in both divisions."