Chris Andrews (politician)

Chris Andrews is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Bay South constituency since the 2020 general election, and previously from 2007 to 2011 for the Dublin South-East constituency.[1]

Chris Andrews TD
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office February 2020
Constituency	Dublin Bay South
In office May 2007 – February 2011
Constituency	Dublin South-East
Personal details
Born	Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Sinn Féin (since 2012)
Other political affiliations	Fianna Fáil
Spouse(s)	Tina Andrews (m. 1997)
Children	2
Alma mater	NUI Maynooth

Family

He is the grandson of Todd Andrews, a leading figure in the early days of Fianna Fáil. His father Niall Andrews and his uncle David Andrews both served as Fianna Fáil TDs, while his first cousin Barry Andrews was elected a Fianna Fáil TD at the 2002 general election and is now a Member of the European Parliament. He was the fourth member of his family to have sat in the Dáil. He is a cousin of the comedy writer and performer David McSavage, and another cousin, Ryan Tubridy, is a chatshow host of The Late Late Show on RTÉ One. Andrews is married with two daughters.

Political career

In May 2007, Andrews topped the poll in the Dublin South-East constituency, on his second attempt, gaining 6,600 first preferences. He was a Dublin City Councillor between 1999 to 2004, 2006 to 2007 and 2014 to 2020.[2]

He was convenor of the Oireachtas Finance Committee, and was a member of the Trade, Enterprise and Employment Committee and the European Scrutiny Committee in the 30th Dáil.

Andrews in 2014

Support for Palestine

During the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict he called for an economic, diplomatic and political boycott of Israel, for its ambassador to Ireland to be expelled, and for shops to remove "settler produce" from Israel. He said that Israel had the right to defend itself, but that its disproportionate response meant that "...it can only now be classified as a terror state".[3] He later told a Russian reporter that there was no electricity in Gaza throughout his time there.[4] On 30 May 2010, he was one of three Irish politicians who were prevented from leaving Cyprus by authorities to join an international flotilla carrying aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip.[5]

In March 2011, Andrews set off on another flotilla to Gaza. His shipmates included Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh.[6] In November 2011, Andrews was reported to be on board another ship heading to Gaza on a humanitarian mission.[7]

Resignation from Fianna Fáil

In the aftermath of the 2011 general election, in which he and many other Fianna Fáil members lost their seats as TDs, Fianna Fáil were struggling in the polls. In August 2012, Andrews left the Fianna Fáil party. He claims that he was disillusioned with the lack of direction the party was taking after it was revealed he had been using a Twitter account to anonymously attack party leader Micheál Martin and other senior members, including a constituency rival, Councillor Jim O'Callaghan. Andrews claimed that his decision to quit the party was not related to the Twitter account even though his resignation followed two days after he had been confronted about his online trolling activity and cyberbullying of party colleagues.[8]

As a member of Sinn Féin

In September 2013, he joined Sinn Féin and successfully contested the 2014 local elections for the Pembroke South Dock local electoral area of Dublin City Council for the party.[9]

In February 2015, he was selected to contest the new constituency of Dublin Bay South at the 2016 general election;[10] however, he failed to be elected.

He was the Sinn Féin candidate for the Dublin Bay South constituency at the 2020 general election and was elected. Daniel Ceitinn was co-opted to Andrews' seat on Dublin City Council following his election to the Dáil.

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

References

1. "Chris Andrews". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
2. "Chris Andrews". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
3. "Israel a terror state and envoy should be expelled, says FF TD". The Irish Times. 14 January 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
4. "Freedom flotilla ready to break through blockade". ArabNews. 30 May 2010. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
5. "Delegation blocked from joining Gaza flotilla". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 30 May 2010. Archived from the original on 31 May 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
6. "Eoghan Harris". Martin must choose either Fine Fail or Flotilla Fail. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
7. "Irish aid ship bound for Gaza". RTÉ. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
8. Reilly, Jerome (12 August 2012). "Sting op exposes Andrews over FF Twitter rants". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
9. "Ex-Fianna Fáil TD Andrews 'in serious discussions' to run for Sinn Féin". Irish Independent. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Oireachtas
Preceded by John Gormley Michael McDowell Eoin Ryan Jnr Ruairi Quinn	Teachta Dála for Dublin South-East 2007–2011 With: Lucinda Creighton John Gormley Ruairi Quinn	Succeeded by Lucinda Creighton Kevin Humphreys Eoghan Murphy Ruairi Quinn