GM LIVE | Barra reacts to "deeply troubling" report on ignition switch failure

DETROIT — General Motors CEO Mary Barra said today that GM has received the findings of an investigation by former U.S. Attorney Anton Valukas into the Cobalt ignition switch recall and plans to act on all of its recommendations, according to a press release issued on the company’s website.

Barra said on Thursday at a global town hall meeting, GM will act on all safety recommendations, 15 GM employees no longer with company because of their actions in handling the faulty ignition switch and five other GM employees discipline. The report done by Valukas reveals no conspiracy or cover-up and GM will administer a compensation fund.

Barra again expressed deep sympathy for the victims of accidents related to the ignition switch defect and their families. In addition, Barra announced that Kenneth Feinberg will administer a compensation program for those who have lost loved ones or who have suffered serious physical injuries as the result of an ignition switch failure in recently recalled vehicles.

Barra described the Valukas findings as “extremely thorough, brutally tough, and deeply troubling.”

“Overall the report found that, from start to finish, the Cobalt saga was riddled with failures which led to tragic results for many,” Barra said, noting that the report revealed no conspiracy by the company to cover up the facts and no evidence that any employee made a trade-off between safety and cost.

GM Chairman Tim Solso said the Board of Directors has been working closely with the management team to get the facts on the ignition switch issue and to see that changes are made to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.