LRC recommends offence of corporate killing

A report from the Law Reform Commission has recommend the introduction of a new offence of corporate killing to tackle companies that disregard the safety of workers.

No company in Ireland has ever been charged with manslaughter over the death of a staff member, despite the fact that hundreds of people have died in workplace incidents over the years.

Many of those deaths have been found to caused by poor safety measures in the workplace.

The LRC launched the report at its headquarters in Ballsbridge, Dublin this evening.

Two years ago, the LRC published a consultation paper on corporate killing which recommended that the new offence should be introduced where "gross recklessness of a 'high managerial agent' involving a substantial risk of causing serious personal injury is a cause of death".

Companies found guilty of the new offence of corporate manslaughter would face unlimited fines and other penalties such as community service and remedial orders.

Managers found guilty of grossly negligent management causing death could be jailed for up to 12 years and disqualified from holding high management office for 15 years.

A court would have to prove that gross negligence on the part of the company or its managers was the cause of death.

The LRC is an independent body established under the Law Reform Commission Act of 1975. Its overall function is to keep the law under review and make recommendations for its reform.