A radical restructuring of An Garda Síochána was announced today by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.

The reforms include a reduction in the number of Garda regions and divisions, with local units being given more power.

The number of regions will be reduced from six to four, and the number of divisions from 28 to 19.

Chief Superintendents in charge of the divisions are to be given more powers, and they will each have four Superintendents, allowing them to oversee a more community-based approach to policing.

These changes are also expected to allow for an increase in front-line officers.

However, several groups have expressed concerns about the new model.

To discuss this further we were joined by Antoinette Cunningham, deputy general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, Noeline Blackwell, former member of the Future of Policing Commission and chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, and Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick.

Listen to the interview in full by pressing the play button on this page.