Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Do I understand correctly that while attempted poisoning is obviously an offence, the mere placing of one of the substances regularly used for these purposes in somebody's drink at a bar or nightclub is not an offence, in and of itself, unless accompanied by an attempt at sexual assault, which the Minister says requires a degree of proximity, which is accepted, or an actual sexual assault? If that is the case, there is clearly a lacuna in the law because it is very difficult to see how there is an innocent way in which one could place some of those substances in somebody's drink or any way in which it could be done without malicious intent. If that is the case, this clearly needs to be criminalised in the age in which we live. It is very common now. I was just recently reading of the case of an unfortunate woman in London whose drink was probably spiked, or at least that is the suspicion. That case is all over the media at present. Her assailant fled to Yemen afterward.

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