The GRA has described the collation of false breath-test data as an “ill-considered misuse of scant resources”.

Frontline gardaí and supervisors are expected to fight any attempt by management — acting under Government pressure — to single them out for disciplinary action for the inflation of breath-test figures.

Internal auditors at An Garda Síochána have vented their fury at being kept in the dark by senior gardaí about the existence of thousands of fake breath tests or unreliable fixed-notice convictions.

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan said the phantom breath test scandal could have been caused by gardaí not thinking it was “important” to accurately record the data.

The latest scandal to hit An Garda Síochána of almost 1m phantom breath tests took another twist yesterday as fresh claims emerged that checkpoint numbers may also have been greatly exaggerated.

The wrongful conviction of drivers for penalty point offences has caused “immeasurable damage” to many of the 14,700 people affected, a leading traffic lawyer says.

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan is fighting for her survival, again, writes Cormac O’Keefe.