‘Perfect storm’ led to falsification of breath tests

At one point, the latest exorcism of An Garda Síochána points to a “perfect storm” that resulted in the staggering falsification of breath tests, writes Cormac O’Keeffe.

The forces include:

• Unrealistic targets as well as expectations and pressure by management on the frontline;
• A recording system that was baffling and flawed;
• A complete lack of training on how to operate the system;
• A failure to explain to members what was needed — and why it was important;
• A lack of supervision, from the first supervisory rank, at sergeant level, right the way up to commissioner.