Fianna Fáil has removed another social media video recorded during Jim Gavin’s participation in a 10km race on Wednesday.
In the video, which was shared on Mr Gavin’s Instagram account, the Fianna Fáil presidential candidate said he had received a call from a named officer in the Defence Forces serving in Lebanon as a UN peacekeeper, and sent well-wishes to Irish troops serving as part of the mission.
A spokeswoman for the campaign said there was no attempt to politicise anyone and it had removed the video “out of an abundance of caution”.
She said there were no security implications arising from naming the peacekeeper, as Defence Forces personnel are regularly named and photographed by the media in advance of and during deployment.
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“Out of an abundance of caution, we have removed the name referenced in the video. The Defence Forces is a non-political organisation. At no point was there an attempt to politicise anyone,” the spokeswoman said.
“Jim Gavin served in the Defence Forces for over 20 years and participated in the 10km run as he has done regularly over the years. For the avoidance of any doubt, the name has been removed.”
The video was shot as Mr Gavin completed a 10km run in aid of an organisation supporting Defence Forces veterans.
Labour’s defence spokesman Duncan Smith earlier warned that Mr Gavin needed to be careful to safeguard the Defence Forces’ apolitical status in his campaign.
“The Fianna Fáil candidate needs to be very clear in his campaigning that our Defence Forces need to remain apolitical. It is a cornerstone of our democracy. He can be rightly proud of his own Defence Forces record but that does not make him a Defence Forces candidate. He has already had to to delete videos in relation to this so he must be very careful,” Mr Smith said.
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On Wednesday, Fianna Fáil took down another campaign video which featured images of uniformed Defence Forces personnel.
A party spokeswoman confirmed that the video, which also contained an image of Mr Gavin with Defence Forces chief of staff Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy, was removed following media queries on Wednesday.
Under the Defence Act 1954, a member of the Defence Forces in uniform may not canvass on behalf of any political organisation or address a meeting of a political organisation.
The Gavin campaign spokeswoman said the Defence Forces had been in touch with it regarding the video but that it was already under review at that point.
In a statement, Fianna Fáil said “every day, footage is taken of Jim Gavin as he continues a very active and energetic campaign across the country. Photos and videos are kept under regular review and often edited.
“As a veteran, Jim participated in this event as he does frequently.”
A Defence Forces spokesman said that Óglaigh na hÉireann “is an apolitical organisation. The An Cosantóir 10km road race and 5km walk is open to all permanent Defence Forces, reserve Defence Forces, Department of Defence and veterans”.
Mr Gavin completed the race on behalf of the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel.
