Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Taking all that into account the fact remains, Ireland needs to progress its legal system to make it a positive, appealing and safe place to work. Several other countries have already taken the necessary steps to improve their legal system with regard to corporate manslaughter. Britain passed the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, a landmark in British law. The Act came into force on 6 April 2008, allowing companies and organisations to be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care. Canada has also taken steps to improve its legal system in this regard, passing the Bill C-45 in March 2004. C-45 established new legal duties for workplace health and safety, and imposed serious penalties for violations that result in injuries or death. Moreover, the C-45 provided new rules for attributing criminal liability to organisations, including corporations, their representatives and those who direct the work of others. I commend the Senators for putting this Bill before us and I welcome the Minister's comments in due course.