Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for the response. I acknowledge that the Government is committed to taking a zero-tolerance approach in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Of course, I also acknowledge the zero-tolerance strategy and its recent launch, and also the additional funding provided. It is welcome that the programme for Government specifically includes a commitment to introduce stronger laws to combat the spiking of drinks. However, as has been reported, there is currently no specific crime type of spiking. That is a very significant issue.

With all due respect to the Minister of State, his response referred very much to the criminal offence of poisoning and to potential penalties, including the three-year sentence, but what I am trying to focus on in particular are the measures in place when someone presents in a hospital in the strong belief that their drinks were spiked. Often, such people will have been enjoying themselves and having a few drinks, but nothing excessive, and will suddenly have got into a state not explained by the amount of alcohol consumed, for example. The logical conclusion will be that something was put into their system without their consent.

We need to be very careful about how we approach these situations. In this particular case, the system let the individual down. There was no proper seizure or protocol put in place. Doubt was cast on the person’s story and that is not acceptable. The benefit of the doubt needs to be with the victim in these scenarios and we need to ensure there is a proper set of procedures in place such that if someone believes their drink was spiked some evening or on a night out, a blood sample will be taken, the Garda will be alerted and the incident will be reported and logged, with proper follow-through. I would be genuinely interested in knowing how many convictions have occurred in relation to the offence of poisoning and drink-spiking incidents. I know the Minister of State may not have that figure this evening, but this is something we should highlight.

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