The Minister of State with responsibility for AI Niamh Smyth has described X putting some Grok image editing features behind a paywall as "window dressing".
X has limited access to image generation and edit functions on its AI tool Grok to only paid subscribers.
Users on the platform who have been prompting Grok to alter images, are receiving replies which state: "image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers" followed by directions on how users can subscribe.
Since late December, new image edit features on Grok have allowed users to create sexually explicit images of people, including children.
It has led to widespread criticism from politicians, regulators and campaign groups.
X has made contact with Ms Smyth to say representatives from the company will meet with her in the coming weeks.
Ms Smyth had requested a meeting with X earlier this week.
Speaking at the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, she said: "It doesn't really mean anything in terms of the dissemination of those images.
"Any opportunity that there is online to disseminate images that are of child pornography, that are of child abuse, is illegal in this country."
"So making a subscription a pay-wall doesn’t give me any comfort and certainly wouldn’t give the Irish Government or parents who might be concerned, that their children’s images might be used or worse, that their children might be using it as a tool," she said.
She said that next week she will be sitting down with Coimisiún na Meán.
"We need the heavy hand of the European Union to help us with this, in relation to this imagery being disseminated on X," she said.
Ms Smyth added that she has disabled her own X profile.
"It is not appropriate for these images to be freely acceptable on the platform of X and anyone that I could encourage to disable their account, I would do," she added.
In a response to one user earlier, Grok replied: "Yes, the image editing feature on Grok is now limited to paid subscribers, effective today.
"This change addresses recent misuse concerns.
"Basic Q&A remains free for all."
Media regulator Coimisiún na Meán has said it is engaging with the European Commission over the concerns.
X has been contacted for comment.
The platform previously said it takes action against illegal content on X, including child sexual abuse material, by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with governments and law enforcement agencies.
Update 'makes no major difference', says ombudsman
The Children's Ombudsman Dr Niall Muldoon said today's update "makes no major difference".
"What you're saying is you've got an opportunity to abuse, but you have to pay for it," he said.
"From my point of view, we've highlighted this issue, and our youth advisory panel have highlighted this for the last two years.
"The access to deep fakes, and the ability to make these sort of images available, and now making it more mainstream, is a really dangerous step up on that."
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste has said that the move by X does not address the real matter.
Speaking from the Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, Simon Harris said: "It is not an issue as to whether or not you have to pay for the technology or not.
"It is an issue as to whether the technology is engaging in carrying out functions that clearly, to any right-thinking person, are not permissible, shouldn't be permissible."
The Fine Gael leader said it was important to acknowledge a number of parts to this.
"Firstly, large technological companies are no longer self-supervisable and that is an important change that has happened in recent years," he said.
"We now have European infrastructure legislation directives, particularly around the Digital Services Act that means that this sector is no longer self-regulating and it can’t be self-regulating," he added.
"The question now is, is that current infrastructure robust enough and keeping at pace with the fast-changing technology," he said.
Mr Harris said he would still encourage anybody in Ireland who experiences the "modification" or "nudification" of their image online, to contact An Garda Síochána.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Minister for Communications deactivates X account
Meanwhile, Minister for Communications, Culture and Sport Patrick O'Donovan said he has deactivated his X account.
Speaking on Limerick's Live95, he said: "I am not on X anymore, I deactivated it early this morning because to be quite honest about it over the last number of months, over the last number of years really, I don't find it as a platform that I would use to share information anymore.
"Whether I'm trying to communicate something that the Department is doing, or whether I'm just posting something that I'm doing in my constituency, it inevitably follows a wave of abuse, so I've deactivated it."
Minister O'Donovan said what happened this week with Grok prompted him to deactivate his X account.
"I'm Minister for Communications and I'm Minister for Media and I just felt that if you're on a platform where this is allowed, regardless of whether you're paying for it or not, I just don't feel comfortable with it."
He said he does not feel comfortable with the fact that there are people who are going to use "my image, your image or somebody else's image", artificially generate something around it and publish it.
He said he has made a personal decision to focus on different social platforms.
Mr O'Donovan said the European Commission and the European Union as a whole "has been found wanting" in relation to having a single, harmonised approach to this issue.
"All member states are doing their own thing, we're all doing things differently," he said.
"There isn't a single approach with regard to online protection for children which is a huge cause of concern."
Sarah Benson, CEO of Women's Aid, has said nothing has "materially changed" as a result of today's decision by X.
She said their concerns about the creation of degrading, humiliating and in some cases, illegal, material remain.
She said they were calling "nudification" and deep fake apps be stopped or banned, saying she sees no benefit to them.
