Background
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 Territorial Decoration at the 2002 general election.
Career
He was previously a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) for the Dublin South–East constituency from 2007 to 2011. He was elected to Dublin City Council as a Sinn Féin member in May 2014. Andrews is married with two daughters.
Electoral History
In May 2007, Andrews topped the poll in Dublin South–East, on his second attempt, gaining 6,600 first preferences.
He was a Councillor on Dublin City Council between 1999 and 2004 and between October 2006 and May 2007. He lost his seat at the 2011 general election.
Support for Palestine
He later told a Russian reporter that there was no electricity in Gaza throughout his time there. 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.
In March 2011, Andrews set off on another flotilla to Gaza.
His shipmates included Sinn Féin"s Aengus Ó Snodaigh. In November 2011, Andrews was reported to be on board another ship heading to Gaza on a humanitarian mission. Resignation from Fianna Fáil
In the aftermath of the 2011 election Fianna Fáil were struggling in the polls having lost many of their seats.
Andrews claimed that his decision to quit the party was not related to the Twitter accountant
In September 2013, he joined Sinn Féin and successfully contested the 2014 local elections for the Pembroke South Dock electoral area of Dublin City Council for the party. In February 2015, he was selected to contest the new constituency of Dublin Bay South at the 2016 general election.
Politics
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. In August 2012, Andrews left the Fianna Fáil party.
Views
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".
Membership
He is the fourth member of his family to sit in the Dáil. 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.