David Andrews (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = David Andrews (politician).jpg

| office = Minister for Foreign Affairs

| taoiseach = Bertie Ahern

| term_start = 8 October 1997

| term_end = 27 January 2000

| predecessor = Ray Burke

| successor = Brian Cowen

| taoiseach1 = Albert Reynolds

| term_start1 = 11 February 1992

| term_end1 = 12 January 1993

| predecessor1 = Gerry Collins

| successor1 = Dick Spring

| office2 = Minister for Defence

| taoiseach2 = Bertie Ahern

| term_start2 = 26 June 1997

| term_end2 = 8 October 1997

| predecessor2 = Seán Barrett

| successor2 = Michael Smith

| taoiseach3 = Albert Reynolds

| term_start3 = 12 January 1993

| term_end3 = 15 December 1994

| predecessor3 = John Wilson

| successor3 = Hugh Coveney

| office4 = Minister for the Marine

| taoiseach4 = Albert Reynolds

| term_start4 = 12 January 1993

| term_end4 = 15 December 1994

| predecessor4 = Michael Smith

| successor4 = Hugh Coveney

| office5 = Minister of State

| suboffice5 = Justice

| subterm5 = 1979

| suboffice6 = Foreign Affairs

| subterm6 = 1977–1979

| office7 = Parliamentary Secretary

| suboffice7 = Government Chief Whip

| subterm7 = 1970–1973

| suboffice8 = Defence

| subterm8 = 1970–1973

| office9 = Teachta Dála

| term_start9 = June 1977

| term_end9 = May 2002

| constituency9 = Dún Laoghaire

| term_start10 = April 1965

| term_end10 = June 1977

| constituency10 = Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1935|3|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Clonskeagh, Dublin, Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Irish

| party = Fianna Fáil

| spouse = {{marriage|Rita Andrews|1963}}

| children = 5, including Barry and David{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/siblings-barry-andrews-david-mcsavage-1.414703|title=Siblings: Barry Andrews and David McSavage|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=12 February 2005|access-date=8 November 2018|archive-date=22 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222064712/https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/siblings-barry-andrews-david-mcsavage-1.414703|url-status=live}}

| father = Todd Andrews

| relatives = {{Ubl|Niall Andrews (brother)|Chris Andrews (nephew)|Ryan Tubridy (nephew)}}

| alma_mater = {{Ubl|University College Galway|Dublin City University}}

|}}

David Andrews (born 15 March 1935) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1992 to 1993 and 1997 to 2000, Minister for Defence from 1993 to 1994 and June 1997 to October 1997, Minister for the Marine from 1993 to 1994, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs from 1977 to 1979 and Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Defence from 1970 to 1973. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1965 to 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/David-Andrews.D.1965-04-21/|title=David Andrews|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=15 January 2011|archive-date=7 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107054246/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/David-Andrews.D.1965-04-21|url-status=live}}

Andrews was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1965 general election as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown constituency.{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2775|title=David Andrews|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=15 January 2011|archive-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802011148/https://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2775|url-status=live}} In May 1970, in a reshuffle following the Arms Crisis, he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach, with special responsibility as Chief Whip, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1970-05-08/4/|title=Statement by the Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil)|date=8 March 1972|access-date=8 February 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}} He served until Fianna Fáil left office in 1973.

Following the 1977 general election, Fianna Fáil was back in office and Jack Lynch appointed Andrews as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1977-07-06/8/|title=Ceapachain mar Airí agus Rúnaí Parlaiminte – Dáil Éireann (21st Dáil)|date=6 July 1977|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas|access-date=1 February 2020|archive-date=18 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201218114708/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1977-07-06/8/|url-status=live}} In the 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election Andrews supported George Colley,{{cite book|title=Kingstown Republican |date=2007 |publisher=New Island}} the favoured candidate of the existing leadership. However, Charles Haughey, in a very close vote, was elected party leader and Taoiseach.

Andrews was 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 February 1992, Albert Reynolds succeeded Haughey as Taoiseach, and Andrews was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs. In January 1993, following the formation of a coalition with the Labour Party, Andrews was appointed as Minister for Defence and Minister for the Marine. He served until this government fell in December 1994.

After the 1997 general election, Fianna Fáil returned to office in coalition with the Progressive Democrats, with Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach. Andrews was first appointed Minister for Defence;{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1997-07-09/17/|title=Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil)|date=9 July 1997|access-date=12 January 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028213422/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1997-07-09/17/|url-status=live}} later that year, after the resignation of Ray Burke, he was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1997-10-09/2/|title=Appointment of Member of Government – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil)|date=9 October 1997|access-date=28 March 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|archive-date=2 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102163547/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1997-10-09/2/|url-status=live}} His period as Foreign Minister was successful regarding the Northern Ireland peace talks.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/where-are-they-now-david-andrews-26491141.html|title=Where Are They Now: David Andrews|work=Irish Independent|date=9 November 2011|access-date=11 July 2013|archive-date=18 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018204238/http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/where-are-they-now-david-andrews-26491141.html|url-status=live}} In April 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed and was later approved in referendums in Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 1999, Ireland joined the Partnership for Peace project. Andrews stepped down as Minister for Foreign Affairs in January 2000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2000-01-27/3/|title=Nomination of Member of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil)|date=27 January 2000|access-date=15 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|archive-date=15 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815103416/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2000-01-27/3/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0121/5224-andrews/|title=Andrews to resign from cabinet on Wednesday|work=RTÉ News|date=21 January 2000|access-date=1 February 2010 }}

He retired from politics at the 2002 general election, and his son Barry was elected for the Dún Laoghaire constituency. His other son David Andrews, Jnr is a comedian who works under the stage name of David McSavage. His brother Niall Andrews was a TD and MEP.{{Cite web |last= |date=2006-10-17 |title=Former TD Niall Andrews dies, aged 68 |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30281281.html |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}

In May 2000, he was appointed to the non-executive position as Chairman of the Irish Red Cross Society, serving in that position until 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1117/andrewsd.html|title=Andrews to retire as Red Cross chairman|date=17 November 2009|access-date=1 February 2010|work=RTÉ News|archive-date=4 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204014150/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1117/andrewsd.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2010-12-15.496.0|title=Dáil debate on reform of the Irish Red Cross|publisher=KildareStreet.com|date=15 December 2010|access-date=23 February 2011|archive-date=13 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713150221/http://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2010-12-15.496.0|url-status=live}}