Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty, who drafted the Spiking Bill and steered it through the Seanad with her Fine Gael colleagues in 2023, has welcomed a long-awaited Dáil debate following her work with Barry Ward TD to get the legislation back on the agenda.
The Fine Gael MEP explained, “I drafted this Bill in 2023 and worked with my Fine Gael colleagues to get it through every stage of the Seanad. Since then, I have continued pressing for progress and working with Barry Ward to get it back onto the Dáil agenda.”
“The debate is a welcome and long-overdue step. But we did not draft this legislation for it to sit on a desk. I want to see it passed, brought into force and used to hold those responsible for spiking accountable,” she said.
Doherty also met campaigners Dola Twomey and Mary Crilly this week to discuss the next steps and pledged to keep pushing until the Bill is passed and in force.
“I met with Dola Twomey and Mary Crilly this week to discuss how we get this over the line. Their tireless work with the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork, Spiking in Ireland and Safe Gigs Ireland has supported victims and kept this issue firmly on the agenda. I will continue working alongside them and pressing for action until we finish the job.”
The Dublin MEP said, “spiking is not only about sexual assault; we are hearing disturbing reports of people spiking their own friends for amusement or humiliation, and substances being put into vapes without the user’s knowledge. This is disgraceful. Drugging somebody without their consent puts their health and potentially their life at risk and calling it a prank does not change that.”
“I acknowledge the Bill brought forward by Sinn Féin’s Mark Ward. We share the same objective of making spiking a standalone offence so we must now work together across parties to deliver strong legislation that covers the different ways this crime is committed,” she noted.
Doherty said, “I want to see this Bill fast-tracked, with a clause requiring it to come into force within three months of enactment. Victims need the law working for them.”
“Ultimately, this comes down to political will. Tomorrow’s debate is welcome, but we must maintain the pressure until this legislation is passed and in force. Victims and campaigners have waited long enough.”