Over two thirds of complaints received by the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces last year came from the Air Corps, a committee has heard.
Speaking in a Committee on Defence and National Security, Ombudsman Alan Mahon said this was according to a draft of an annual report due for release at the end of this month.
Mr Mahon said the number of complaints from the air corps was "disproportionate" to its size.
"The army has just over 6,000 personnel while the air corps and naval service each have under 800," he said.
Responding to a question from Sinn Féin TD Donnachadh Ó Laoghaire, Mr Mahon said "a very small minority of air corps cases would involve a health and safety issue".
"Most of the complaints from air corps personnel would be to do with promotion and core selection," he said.
Fianna Fáil TD Eamon Scanlon said it was a "very high number of complaints" that would "ring alarm bells".
Responding to the TD, the Ombudsman said, "it was a one-year blip", adding that the number of complaints from air corps has dropped so far this year.
"I don't think it's going to repeat itself," he said.
Independent senator Tom Clonan said he researched the "systemic and systematic discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual assault and rape of my female colleagues" 30 years ago.
He said he experienced "immediate retaliation and reprisal from the military authorities" as a result.
Mr Mahon said "significant strides have been made within the Defence Forces over the last two years to improve their internal investigations process, including better training of their investigators".
He said interpersonal complaints "which cover a variety of issues including bullying and exclusion" are now "small in number".
Mr Mahon said the Women of Honour campaign group and the Independent Review Group (IRG) report in 2022 have emphasised that this behaviour is unacceptable and will be "vigorously dealt with".
"Personnel engaging in such behaviour are now much more likely to be exposed and disciplined than what might have been the case previously," he said.
Mr Mahon said complaints from female personnel are "roughly proportionate to their number in the Defence Forces".
"Over the past four year, there were no complaints from female personnel of alleged gender discrimination - whereas there were two such complaints from male personnel over that period," said Mr Mahon.
"In 2025, I did not receive any complaints of inappropriate sexual behaviour," he added.
Mr Clonan said he finds it "interesting" that "there has been a dramatic turnaround" after a period of no change.
He said the "whole point" of the Women of Honour "coming forward with their disclosures was to say that it wasn't historical - it was persistent and remains systemic and systematic within the Defence Forces".
He asked if this is "simply in the rear-view mirror now", or if it "still pertains".
In response, Mr Mahon said there was a belief among the group that this "behaviour was still going on in the Defence Forces".
"There's a completely different approach now in the Defence Forces," he said.
