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Chris Andrews (Irish politician)

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Senator
Chris Andrews
Andrews in 2025
Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 January 2025
ConstituencyLabour Panel
Teachta Dála
In office
February 2020 – November 2024
ConstituencyDublin Bay South
In office
May 2007 – February 2011
ConstituencyDublin South-East
Personal details
Born (1964-05-25) 25 May 1964 (age 62)
Dublin, Ireland
PartySinn Féin (since 2012)
Other political
affiliations
Fianna Fáil (until 2012)
Spouse
Tina Andrews
​
(m. 1997)​
Children2
Parent
Relatives
EducationNUI Maynooth

Chris Andrews (born 25 May 1964)[1] is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has served as a senator for the Labour Panel since January 2025. He was previously a Fianna Fáil politician and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-East constituency from 2007 to 2011, then, after a gap of nine years, he was a Sinn Féin TD for the Dublin Bay South constituency from 2020 to 2024.[2] While a senator, he participated in the 2025 Global Sumud Flotilla and was kidnapped on the way to Gaza by the Israeli Navy and held at Ktzi'ot Prison before he was released after several days in captivity in early October 2025.

Early life and family

He is the grandson of Todd Andrews, a leading Irish republican figure and member of Fianna Fáil following the foundation of the party. His father Niall Andrews and his uncle David Andrews both served as Fianna Fáil Teachtaí Dála (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 fifth 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, was the host of The Late Late Show on RTÉ One.

Andrews is married and has two daughters.

As a child, Andrews appeared in the Safe Cross Code road safety TV advertisement along with his younger sister, Niamh.[3]

Andrews graduated from NUI Maynooth with a degree in community and youth work.[4]

Political career

Elections to the Dáil
Party Election FPv FPv% Result
Fianna Fáil Dublin South-East 2007 6,600 19.5 Elected on count 3/5
Dublin South-East 2011 3,922 11.2 Eliminated on count 10/10
Sinn Féin Dublin Bay South 2016 3,774 9.5 Eliminated on count 6/8
Dublin Bay South 2020 6,361 16.1 Elected on count 8/8
Dublin Bay South 2024 4,875 12.2 Eliminated on count 12/12

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 member of Dublin City Council from 1999 to 2004, 2006 to 2007 and 2014 to 2020, representing both Fianna Fáil and subsequently Sinn Féin.[5]

Andrews 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.

During the 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland, Andrews distributed political leaflets showing him shaking hands with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, taken during a meeting earlier that year. The leaflets bore the headline "EU must maintain pressure on Israel to negotiate meaningfully". The leaflets' contents were called back into question in September 2013 when Andrews joined Sinn Féin.[6]

Twitter account revelation and departure 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 cited his disenchantment with Micheál Martin and the lack of direction of the party. His announcement came after an individual whose wife had allegedly been criticized by a Twitter account sent a 35 page dossier about their investigation into the owner of the account to the Sunday Independent which revealed Andrews was the owner of an account used to anonymously attack party leaders and other senior members, including a constituency rival, Jim O'Callaghan. Andrews stated that his decision to leave the party had been in his mind before the prior election, although his resignation followed after he had been revealed as the person behind the account.[7]

As a member of Sinn Féin

Andrews in 2014

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.[8]

In February 2015, he was selected to contest the new constituency of Dublin Bay South at the 2016 general election;[9] however, he lost the election.

He was the Sinn Féin candidate for the Dublin Bay South constituency at the 2020 general election and was elected.[10] Daniel Ceitinn was co-opted to Andrews' seat on Dublin City Council following his election to the Dáil.[11]

Following the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks in Israel, EU president Ursula von der Leyen stated, "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks". In response, Andrews tweeted: "It seems that according to the EU and Ireland, only Palestine has no right to defend itself against murder, torture and apartheid".[12] Andrews' comments were covered in The Irish Times and an opinion piece by Harry McGee offered the view that Andrews was less critical of Hamas than of the Israeli Defence Forces. Following this article, Andrew began legal proceedings against The Irish Times, citing defamation.[12][13] Andrews' case was criticised by pro-journalist organisations such as the press ombudsman Susan McKay, the National Union of Journalists and Reporters without Borders.[12]

Andrews lost his seat at the 2024 general election. Andrews was elected as a senator at the 2025 Seanad election on the Labour Panel.[14] He participated in the 2025 Global Sumud Flotilla on the vessel Spectre attempting to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. On 23 September 2025, the Spectre was attacked by Israeli drones that dropped four explosive devices on the vessel and after the attack Andrews said the Irish government should have sent Irish Army personnel.[15] On 1 October 2025, the Spectre was intercepted on its way to Gaza by the Israeli Navy, which kidnapped Andrews.[16][17] After the interception of the Spectre, Andrews and the other passengers were forced to sit at gunpoint for the 15 hours it took for the vessel to reach Ashdod, where Andrews said they were handcuffed, blindfolded, and placed in a prison van.[18] On 2 October 2025, fellow Irish senator Pauline Tully claimed he was kidnapped or abducted and said "Communication with Senator Chris Andrews was lost last night. It was a time of worry for all of us because we did not know what was happening to him or where he was, and even his family did not know. He has since been kidnapped or abducted. I do not think 'detained' is the correct word because he was in international waters on a peaceful mission."[19] Andrews was later released on 6 October 2025[20] after he had been imprisoned with the other flotilla participants at Ktzi'ot Prison for several days.[21]

Political views

Andrews visited Gaza in 2008. He has said there was no electricity during the three days he visited.[22] During the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict Andrews called for an economic, diplomatic and political boycott of Israel, for its ambassador to Ireland to be expelled, and for shops to remove produce from Israeli settlements. 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".[23] On 30 May 2010, he was one of three Irish politicians who were prevented from leaving Cyprus to join the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla by Cypriot government authorities. The flotilla was carrying aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip and was raided by Israeli commandos, who killed nine flotilla passengers on 31 May 2010.[24][25]

In June 2011 Andrews stated on Twitter: "Lab[our] are a pro-Israeli party & [Fine Gael] foreign affairs on Israel are determined by Israeli puppets in Ireland. Alan Shatter Gov will support Israel".[6]

In March 2011, Andrews set off on another flotilla to Gaza. One of his shipmates was Aengus Ó Snodaigh.[26] In November 2011, Andrews was reported to be on board another ship headed to Gaza on a humanitarian mission.[27] In 2013, Andrews was reported to have spent time in Palestine doing aid work.[8]

In December 2020, Andrews apologised for liking tweets about Laurel Hubbard that were perceived as transphobic by transgender rights campaigners. The tweet criticised transgender women participating in female sports.[28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Chris Andrews". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Chris Andrews". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  3. ↑ McMahon, Cathal (18 December 2007). "TD follows the code and still looks left and right". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  4. ↑ Cullen, Paul (10 February 2020). "Election 2020: Chris Andrews (Sinn Féin)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "Chris Andrews". ElectionsIreland. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  6. 1 2 O'Connell, Hugh (9 September 2013). "'It's not a new photo': Sinn Féin on picture of Chris Andrews with Bashar al-Assad". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  7. ↑ Reilly, Jerome (12 August 2012). "Sting op exposes Andrews over FF Twitter rants". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  8. 1 2 O'Connor, Niall; Doyle, Kevin (5 September 2013). "Ex-Fianna Fáil TD Andrews 'in serious discussions' to run for Sinn Féin". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Jim O'Callaghan fires shots across Sinn Féin's bows". Dublin People. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  10. ↑ Cullen, Paul (10 February 2020). "Dublin Bay South results: Andrews says tent incident influenced voters". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Hosford, Paul (5 May 2021). "Chu confirms she will seek Green Party nomination for Dublin Bay South by-election". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 "Profile: Chris Andrews". The Phoenix. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  13. ↑ Keena, Colm (7 November 2023). "Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews sues The Irish Times". Irish Times. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  14. ↑ Cunningham, Paul (2 February 2025). "All 11 seats on Labour panel filled in Seanad elections". RTÉ. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  15. ↑ Dunphy, Liz; McNally, Tadgh (25 September 2025). "'Government should have sent army personnel' after attack on Gaza aid flotilla, says senator". Irish Examiner.
  16. ↑ Nolan, Darragh; Parodi, Emilio; Uras, Anna (1 October 2025). "Gaza flotilla carrying Sinn Féin senator and other Irish citizens intercepted by Israel with soldiers boarding boats, activists say". Irish Independent.
  17. ↑ "Senator Chris Andrews illegally kidnapped by Israel aboard Global Sumud Flotilla". Sinn Féin. 1 October 2025.
  18. ↑ Kane, Robbie; Nevin, Emma (17 October 2025). "Chris Andrews shares 'violent' experience of detention in Israel after aid mission". Dublin Live.
  19. ↑ "Seanad Éireann díospóireacht - Thursday, 2 Oct 2025". Houses of the Oireachtas. 2 October 2025.
  20. ↑ MacRedmond, David (6 October 2025). "Irish citizens detained by Israel after joining Gaza flotilla are released and 'on journey home'". TheJournal.ie.
  21. ↑ Kenny, Aisling (6 October 2025). "Irish citizens en route home after Israeli detention". RTÉ.
  22. ↑ Kevorkova, Nadia (30 May 2010). "Freedom flotilla ready to break through blockade". ArabNews. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  23. ↑ "Israel a terror state and envoy should be expelled, says FF TD". The Irish Times. 14 January 2009. Archived from the original on 23 February 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  24. ↑ "Delegation blocked from joining Gaza flotilla". RTÉ. 30 May 2010. Archived from the original on 31 May 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  25. ↑ "'Irish Ship to Gaza' campaign launched in Dublin". An Phoblacht. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  26. ↑ Harris, Eoghan (30 January 2011). "Eoghan Harris: Martin must choose either Fine Fail or Flotilla Fail". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  27. ↑ "Irish aid ship bound for Gaza". RTÉ. 2 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  28. ↑ O'Connel, Hugh (6 December 2020). "Andrews in apology for 'anti-trans' tweets likes". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
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