Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1129: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on bringing in a new law on vehicular manslaughter. [36073/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to draw the Deputy's attention to the Law Reform Commission's Report on "Homicide: Murder and Involuntary Manslaughter" which was published yesterday. In respect of the criminal offence of manslaughter and related motoring offences the Commission has recommended that the existing road traffic offence of dangerous driving causing death should continue to exist alongside the more serious offence of manslaughter. It would therefore be the case that where there is a very high degree of culpability, a driver responsible for a road death could be prosecuted for manslaughter.

The Commission has also recommended the creation of a new offence of 'careless driving causing death' to deal with fatalities caused by careless motoring. The aspects of the Commission's Report relating to motoring offences are, of course, matters for The Minister for Transport.