Gardaí could be delayed by up to two hours in arriving at serious crime scenes due to plans to amalgamate garda divisions.
Middle-ranking officers are also warning of the impact the new model will have on community policing.
In Cork, the West and North divisions are being amalgamated, resulting in a division stretching from the tip of the Beara peninsula in the west, to Youghal on the east.
The operating model is currently being introduced on a phased basis and will take place over a number of years in what will be the biggest ever restructuring of the force.
The Irish Examiner reports members of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors were given a presentation on the model at their annual conference in Killarney.
