Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has said the photo of him taken at a UK music festival wasn't "very flattering" but refused to say it was an invasion of his privacy.
The Fine Gael leader has received huge criticism since the snap was shared on social media, with his partner Matthew Barrett slamming the photo over the weekend.
But Mr Varadkar said instances like this come "with the territory" and did not say if it upset him.
Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, Mr Varadkar said: "It wasn't a very flattering photograph, if the shoe was on the other foot it is not a photograph I would posted of someone else, I would never have done anything like that.
"But I am a public figure and to a certain extent it goes with the territory, that if you are out and about in public people will take photos of you, and that's the way it is and I accept that.
"Matt is very much his own person...and is able to write letters without my permission.
"I've been through a lot of these types of things and don't leave them hold me back.
"The view that I took was two days later, and it was only two days later, concerts, conferences, exhibitions, big matches and events in Ireland were allowed, and I was one of the people who made sure we had that plan in place for the events sector. I took the view that because it was only two days it wouldn't matter."
Despite this, Mr Varadkar said he will "absolutely" lead Fine Gael into the next General Election.
The Tanaiste's partner Matthew has led a backlash against the photo, claiming that his privacy had been "violated".
In a letter to the Irish Times, the doctor defended Mr Varadkar's "right to privacy" regardless of his public status.
He wrote: "The notion that the right to privacy is one which is conditional on the attitudes, sensibilities and prejudices of another is both ridiculous and dangerous."
Dr Barrett went on to describe the picture as "unedifying" and suggested that it had caused "humiliation".
He added: "This episode demonstrates that not only are privacy and dignity not expected, but that people will celebrate their violation."
