Young Fine Gael is calling on the Dáil to urgently pass the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Amendment Bill.
This bill once passed would make spiking a stand-alone offence under Irish law.
Vice President of young Fine Gael and Monaghan man Caolan Maguire said his call comes amid a worrying rise in reported spiking incidents across the country. Currently, the absence of specific legislation makes prosecution challenging, leading to underrepresentation of cases, and discouraging victims from coming forward.
Research from An Garda Síochána indicates that approximately 60% of spiking victims are aged between 18 and 25, highlighting the disproportionate impact on young people.
Alarmingly, one-third of reported cases were linked to subsequent sexual assaults, with 90% of victims being women. Caolan says young people deserve to feel safe in social settings.
