Barry Andrews politician

Barry Andrews, born on May 16, 1967, is a prominent Irish politician serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Dublin under Fianna Fáil within Renew Europe. His political journey began as Minister of State for Children from 2008 to 2011 and as a TD for Dún Laoghaire from 2002 to 2011. Hailing from a family deeply rooted in Fianna Fáil, his grandfather Todd was a founder, and his father David served as Foreign Minister.

Before entering politics, Andrews worked as a teacher and later became a barrister after studying law at King's Inns, qualifying in 1997. As Minister for Children, he responded to the Ryan Report by increasing social workers and introduced free preschool education benefiting 65,000 children by 2013. After the Murphy Report highlighted abuse cases, he emphasized accountability for those involved.

Despite losing his Dáil seat in 2011, Andrews remained active in Fianna Fáil. In 2012, he became CEO of GOAL until resigning in 2016 due to fraud by executives. He then led the IIEA think tank from 2017 onwards.

Elected as an MEP in 2019, his seat became effective post-Brexit in 2020. His committees include International Development and Trade, where he focused on sustainability directives. Andrews founded the SDG Alliance and Brussels-Belfast Forum, and in 2023, observed Nigerian elections, highlighting transparency issues. Re-elected to the European Parliament in 2024, his career spans education, politics, and advocacy, marking him as a dedicated public servant.