David Andrews

Who is David Andrews?

David Andrews is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister.

Andrews was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1965 general election as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown constituency. From 1970 to 1973 he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Chief Whip. Following four years in opposition Jack Lynch and Fianna Fáil were back in power in 1977, and Andrews was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs. In the 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election Andrews supported George Colley, the favoured candidate of the existing leadership. However, Charles Haughey, in a very close vote, was elected leader and Taoiseach.

Andrews paid for backing Colley in the leadership bid, being confined to the backbenches during Haughey's thirteen-year period as leader. During this period he maintained his legal practice and campaigned for the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six, and Brian Keenan. He remained a vocal critic of Haughey during this period. After the Progressive Democrats were founded in 1985 Andrews considered joining the new party. In 1992 Albert Reynolds replaced Haughey as Taoiseach and Andrews was briefly appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, vacating this position to Dick Spring, Tánaiste and Labour Party leader, after a subsequent election. Andrews was then appointed Minister for Defence and the Marine. In 1997 subsequent to a general election, Fianna Fáil were back in coalition with the Progressive Democrats, with Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach. Andrews was first appointed Minister for Defence, subsequently, after the resignation of Ray Burke becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs.