Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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504. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if incidences of spiking with a needle have been recorded on the Garda PULSE system in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of incidences, by county, in tabular form. [64706/25]

Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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505. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if incidences of drink spiking have been recorded on the Garda PULSE system in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of incidences, by county, in tabular form [64707/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 504 and 505 together.

Spiking is a crime that preys on vulnerability, undermines consent and can have devastating consequences for victims. As Minister I am committed to taking a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV). The Programme for Government also includes a commitment to introduce stronger laws to combat the spiking of drinks.

Spiking a person’s drink or spiking someone by injection constitute, in effect, poisoning, and as such are criminal offences under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 that can result in a three-year prison term.

Section 12 of the 1997 Act applies to anyone who intentionally or recklessly administers a substance which is capable of interfering substantially with another person’s bodily functions, which explicitly includes inducing unconsciousness or sleep. A person guilty of the offence of poisoning may be subject to a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment. Depending on the nature of the substance that is administered, it may be possible to charge a perpetrator with endangerment under section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997. This provides that it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct which creates a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another. The offence of endangerment carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.

An Garda Síochána take all reports of spiking seriously and thoroughly investigate to determine the exact nature of each incident including results of toxicology reports in each case. The nationwide roll out of Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSUs) has ensured that when victims of DSGBV-based crimes present to Gardaí, they are met with a consistently high standard of specialist, sensitive, professional and expert assistance. There is now a DPSU in every Garda Division. An Garda Síochána advise any victims of incidents or any form of spiking to come forward and report to local Gardaí.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the following publication on the garda website garda.ie may be of assistance: www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/general-reports/spiking-incidents-may-2024.pdf. The published data records the number of incidents reported throughout the country at 52 in 2023. The total for 2024 was 60 reported incidents, each of which was investigated. Figures for 2025 will be released next year.

Per the published data regarding spiking incidents reported from 2020-2023, there are a number of ways in which a spiking was reported to have occurred. In 50pc of all incidents identified, it was reported a drink was spiked (120 incidents). A needle was used in 28pc or 67 incidents. In the remaining, 22pc or 52 incidents, the method was unknown or it was not possible to determine from the information recorded on PULSE.

I am informed by An Garda Síochána that, of the 60 reported incidents in 2024, 28 were drink spiking, a needle was used in 10, and the method was unknown in 22.