McCabe reveals a troubling scenario

If even a fraction of the allegations made by whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe were proven to be true, it would be a damning indictment of the gardaí. But if the bulk of his claims are corroborated by a probe now under way, the integrity of the force would be blown out of the water.

His allegation that hundreds of criminal records on the Pulse system were “altered, erased or falsified” is deeply disturbing. It flies in the face of a culture of denial within the force, a stance discredited by the independent Garda Inspectorate.

Besides referring to serious motoring offences such as dangerous driving, today’s front-page story also mentions assault, burglary, and drug-related crimes, showing just how worrying the situation is. Reeking of wrongdoing, the allegations highlight the enormity of the task facing the Interim Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan as she sets out to restore public confidence in the force.