Up to the US to decide its own foreign policy, says Taoiseach

However, Mr Harris stopped short of calling on the US to end the provision of arms to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), telling reporters: "It's a matter for every individual country to decide what it wishes to do, and I think we need to be conscious of that fact."

Mr Harris had been invited to Washington for a number of events to mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the US. 

However, a Rose Lawn reception of 300 people was postponed on Monday night given the "grave threat posted in the United States by Hurricane Milton".

The Oval Office meeting, however, went ahead and Mr Harris will visit Georgetown University on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of his meeting with Mr Biden, Mr Harris said the world needs to do more to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

"Everybody needs to ask, what more can they do to bring about a ceasefire? 

"I'll be making the point because I make it consistently, that the efforts of the world to date to bring about a ceasefire have been ineffective, and therefore, I think it's up to every country, including the United States of America, to dig deep and see what more than they do. 

"And it's for the president of the United States of America to decide the foreign policy of his country."

Pressed on whether he would be directly calling on the president to halt the shipments of arms, Mr Harris said: "It's up to every country to decide what they wish to do. 

"It's not for me to set the foreign policy of any other country.

I don't set the foreign policy of any other country, but I'm very clear on our foreign policy, and our foreign policy is of the view that the world is not doing enough, that everybody needs to look at every lever at their disposal. That includes the supply of arms, of course it does, but it's up to every individual country to decide its own foreign policy.

Mr Harris said the world in general has failed the children of Gaza.

He said at an EU level he will be pushing for a review of the EU Israeli Association Agreement when European leaders meet in Brussels next week.

From an Irish perspective, Mr Harris said the Government will be looking at what can be done within our own legislative framework in the wake of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling.

"I'll be arranging for the attorney general to brief myself and other coalition leaders next week on things like the Occupied Territories Bill and where that currently stands against the backdrop of the ICJ."

Turning again to his Oval Office meeting, Mr Harris said: "We're always honest with friends, and Ireland considers the United States of America to be a friend. 

"And I think many Irish people very much value the relationship that we have with the United States of America, but it's important that you're honest with friends."