Wexford Sinn Fein Councilor calling on the government to enact Spiking bill

Spiking victims are putting pressure on the government to hold per-petrators accountable.

According to Check your Drink, 54 per cent of the Irish population are more afraid of being spiked now, than five years ago. Currently spiking is not a specific criminal offence here, however it may be reported as an independent offence under poisoning laws. This is seen as outdated and not fit for purpose. Wexford Sinn Fein Councilor Aoife Rose O' Brien, is calling on the government to enact the Spiking bill, which has yet to be brought forward to the Dail. The proposed legislation was passed by the Seanad before the Dáil was dissolved in November. Under the bill, anyone caught spiking could face up to 10 years in prison. However, it is still waiting for a member of the Justice Committee to bring it forward to the Dáil so it can progress to the next stage and ultimately be passed into law. The latest Garda figures show that there were 52 incidents of spiking reported in 2023.