Áras hopeful Jim Gavin did not know about abuse of female officers in Defence Forces

Jim Gavin said nobody who suffered abuse when he served in the Air Corps had asked him to advocate on their behalf. Picture: Leah Farrell /  RollingNews.ie

Presidential hopeful Jim Gavin has said he would have acted immediately on any allegation of a soldier being mistreated or abused, if anybody had told him.

In Dublin on Thursday, he told reporters he did not “see” anybody suffering abuse and, when asked by the Irish Examiner if he was "aware" of the abuse, he said: "If I was aware, I would have taken immediate action.” He also said nobody who suffered abuse when he served in the Air Corps had asked him to advocate on their behalf.