DUBLIN — A series of scandals embroiling Ireland’s police force in recent months has developed into a full-blown political and legal crisis for the Irish government.

Top ranks of the Irish police have been under sustained attack for months since unrelated allegations arose involving the bugging of the offices of the country’s independent police watchdog and officers’ widespread cancellations of penalty points and fines for traffic offenses. Among the tens of thousands alleged to have benefited included family members, fellow officers, judges and well-connected Irish politicians, business leaders, journalists and sports figures.

On Tuesday morning, the country’s police chief, Martin Callinan, resigned after coming under strong criticism for calling the actions of two police officers who had brought to light the fine-cancellation practice “disgusting.”

Later Tuesday, news broke that the police had secretly recorded telephone conversations between lawyers and their clients without their knowledge, to and from police stations, in what would appear to be a clear breach of legal privilege, which protects such communications from being disclosed without the client’s consent. Ireland is one of the few countries in Europe in which lawyers are permitted to give clients in police custody advice remotely by telephone.