Niamh Smyth, the minister of state with special responsibility for trade promotion, AI and digital transformation, has met this week with Coimisiún na Meán and the Attorney General.

In a statement yesterday, Ms Smyth said she had urged Coimisiún na Meán to pursue “swift, coordinated action with the EU Commission, including a formal investigation and interim measures to protect citizens across all 27 member states”.

She added: “The protection of the most vulnerable cannot wait. The EU Commission have taken investigative steps in relation to X and its obligations under the DSA, and will now also carefully assess the changes to Grok that X has announced, to ensure they effectively protect citizens in the EU.”

Following her meeting with the Attorney General, Ms Smyth said she was “confident that we have robust and effective legislation in place”.

“Under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998, material depicting a person as a child engaged in real or simulated explicit activity, or focused for sexual purpose on genital areas, is illegal,” she said.

“Coco’s law criminalises sharing non-consensual intimate images with intent to cause harm. The sharing of non-consensual intimate images and any child sexual abuse material is illegal.”

She said she will “continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders” and would meet with X today “to discuss the statement they have issued… in response to this matter”.