A report by the Garda Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) has found too many members of the gardaí were allowed to cancel penalty points.
The Garda watchdog has published its report following its investigation of allegations by Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe that the system was being abused.
The investigation examined data relating to the issuing of 1.6 million fixed charge notices (FCNs) and more than 74,000 cancellations between 2009 and 2012.
Almost three quarters of the cancelled penalty points were simply recorded as 'cancelled' and didn't give enough reasons for why it happened.
In one case, an officer cancelled 744 FCNs across 17 counties - despite it being against Garda policy to cancel the notices outside senior officers' own geographical area.
However, the GSOC investigation will not move into a second phase - with the commission saying the 'considerable cost to the public' would outweigh the benefits of a more thorough investigation of specific cancellations.
Stephanie Grogan reports:
