Sinn Féin spokesperson for Community Safety, Mark Ward TD, has called for increased public awareness of spiking in Ireland alongside stricter legal outcomes for offenders.

The Dublin Mid-West TD raised the issue following the release of figures provided to him by the Department of Justice, which recorded 339 reports of spiking to Gardaí between 2021 and 2026.

The data reveals 61 reported incidents in 2021, 107 in 2022, 52 in 2023, 61 in 2024, and 58 in 2025. This represents a significant rise compared to the four years prior to 2021, which averaged 19 reports per year. Deputy Ward expressed concern that official figures reflect only a fraction of actual incidents due to underreporting and social stigma, referencing warnings from the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork that reported cases are "only the tip of the iceberg". Additionally, data from the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit indicated that 19% of attendees in 2025 voiced concerns that spiking was involved in their experience.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) defines spiking as the administration of drugs or alcohol to someone without their knowledge or consent. Methods include contaminating drinks, needle stick attacks, deception regarding a substance, or administering higher doses than agreed to.

Highlighting the lack of a clear pathway to toxicology testing as a primary obstacle for victims, Deputy Ward called on the Department of Justice to enhance public awareness campaigns and provide additional training for staff to identify incidents in real time.

He also urged the Irish Government to consider enacting standalone legislation for spiking, noting that no reports made since 2022 have led to a prosecution under existing laws that incorporate spiking offences. He pointed to Britain's introduction of standalone legislation earlier this year as a model to observe, confirming he will raise the matter when the Dáil resumes next month.