Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to Washington D.C. [41649/24]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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10. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his visit to the United States and his meeting with President Biden. [42938/24]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his visit to the United States and his meeting with President Biden. [44035/24]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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12. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his visit to the United States and his meeting with President Biden. [44170/24]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his recent visit to Washington D.C. [44966/24]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his visit to the United States and his meeting with President Biden. [44967/24]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his visit to the United States and his meeting with President Biden. [45003/24]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 15, inclusive, together.

I visited Washington D.C. on 8-10 October to mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States. This is an especially important landmark, as the United States was the first international partner to recognise the fledgling Irish State.

My planned programme included a meeting at the White House and a reception to mark the anniversary, as well as several other engagements including a meeting with USAID Administrator, Samantha Power, an address at Georgetown University to mark 100 years, an economic engagement with the US Chamber of Commerce, and a number of political and related meetings.

Unfortunately, the reception in the White House had to be cancelled as the President was naturally and rightly focussed on the immediate risk to a number of States posed by Hurricane Milton. My meeting with the President, however, went ahead as planned, as did other elements of my programme.

The meeting with President Biden was substantial. Our discussions focussed on the strong connections between our two countries, and the continuing importance of the relationship.

We discussed developments in Northern Ireland, and I thanked the President for his strong personal commitment to the peace process throughout his career.

I raised the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States, which is a priority for our Embassy in Washington.

On international issues we discussed the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

We agreed the need to continue to support Ukraine until a just and lasting peace, based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, can be secured.

On the Middle East, and especially the desperate situation in Gaza, I conveyed to the President the strong views of the Irish people and Government, and the need to see an immediate end to the indiscriminate death and destruction. I expressed to him my view that while Israel has the right to self-defence, it must always exercise it in keeping with international law.

I thanked the President for his efforts and those of his Administration to bring about a ceasefire that can facilitate the return of hostages and the surging of aid into Gaza.

We also discussed the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the urgent need for a ceasefire to protect the civilian population.

I expressed my concern about the safety of our UN peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL, especially given the unprecedented attacks by Israel on UNIFIL installations. President Biden shared my concern in that regard.