A SENIOR member of An Garda Síochána has revealed the force is investigating 200 reports of images of potential child sexual abuse material generated by Grok.
Detective Chief Superintendent Barry Walsh revealed the numbers while addressing a meeting of the Oireachtas Arts and Media Committee today to discuss the regulation of online platforms and online safety.
He also revealed that reports of such images are on the increase but said even a quick prosecution could take 'a number of months'.
Grok, the AI tool of social media site X (formerly known as Twitter), has recently made headlines due to people using the feature to create AI-generated sexualised images, including sexualised deepfakes of real people.
Brian Brennan, Fine Gael TD for Wicklow-Wexford, asked Supt Walsh what garda action was being taken against X in relation to its facilitation of the platform.
"We have received reports and referrals of content on that particular platform that is under investigation," he said.
"The investigation process takes some time, the content has to be assessed to make sure it's criminal.
"Thereafter, the people responsible have to be identified, if that's possible, and the investigative action stems from there."
Peter 'Chap' Cleere, Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, asked Supt Walsh how many investigations are currently ongoing into offensive images.
"As of this morning, there are 200 reports that are being investigated involving content that is child sexual abuse material or child sexual abuse indicator material," replied Supt Walsh.
Asked by Sinn Féin TD for Louth, Joanna Byrne, whether all the images under investigation were from Grok, Supt Walsh confirmed they were.
'Big increase' in reports
Supt Walsh, who is the head of the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, said he believed current legislation allowed gardaí to carry out an effective investigation into such offending.
"There's nothing that has emerged yet that I'm aware of that will prevent us from carrying out an investigation," he said.
However, he revealed reports relating to offensive online images were rapidly increasing.
"Last year, there were about 25,500 referrals that required consideration and that was a big increase year-on-year," he said, adding that the number was up from 13,300 in 2024.
Against the backdrop of such a large increase reports, Supt Walsh was asked by Deputy Cleere how quickly a prosecution could happen following receipt of a report.
"Typically, what happens then is we have to gather the evidence," he said.
"The evidence tends to be the online indicators such as IP addresses, usernames, those type of elements that will enable us to identify the person responsible.
"They're generally followed up by a warrant served either in Ireland or abroad — where it's abroad, it becomes a much longer process."
He added: "A very quick prosecution, including a submission of a file to the DPP, potentially could take a number of months."
'This is not going to stop'
Deputy Brennan, however, felt there was a need for new legislation to tackle online offences as he believed social media companies were not doing enough.
"I honestly feel we are simply dealing with a runaway train that is being driven by key people sitting in their lofty towers that are consumed by greed, commercial greed, and have absolutely zero moral responsibility," he said.
"This must be called out for what it actually is but our problem is what is in place to stop this train?
"Based on the evidence that we are sitting here today and that we can still access Grok this morning, the legislation is simply not in place and that's what we need to discuss as a unit here today — how we can put this in place?
"Have we let down a total generation by not having these safeguards in place and more importantly, what legislation is needed to protect the children that are coming?
"This is not going to stop as we roll into the AI era as well.
"We need to have the safeguards in place because self-regulation is simply not working in relation to social media."
See More: An Garda Síochána, Grok
