Fianna Fáil remove multiple social videos involving Jim Gavin

Fianna Fáil has removed a 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 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 told The Irish Times that 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.

“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 told the paper.

“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.

It comes as Mr Gavin was forced to remove a campaign video on Wednesday that showed uniformed army personnel clapping as he participated in a road run, after an intervention by the Irish Defence Forces.

The force stated on Wednesday night, asserting that it is non-party political, after both the video of uniformed members clapping, as well as a photo of Mr Gavin with his arm around its chief of staff, were removed from social media.

A party spokeswoman confirmed to The Irish Times that the video, which 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.

A Defence Forces spokesman told The Irish Times 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.