Billy Lawless

Senator Billy Lawless

Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 May 2016
Constituency	Nominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born	Rahoon, Galway, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Independent
Occupation	Businessman

Billy Lawless is an Irish businessman and independent politician, appointed Senator on 27 May 2016.^[1]

Lawless is native of Rahoon, County Galway. In the 1980s he was Chair of Fine Gael in the Galway West constituency and stood unsuccessfully for Galway City Council in 1991.^[2]

He emigrated to Chicago in 1998, having always harboured plans to open a business in the US he made the decision after his daughter received a rowing scholarship to Boston University.^[3]

He owns four restaurants in the Chicago area, employing 260 people, with plans to expand to six.^[4]

He is a board member and co-founder of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC) and Chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.^[4]

Lawless has been credited with helping the cause of Irish immigrants and undocumented Irish in America, and was made Freeman of Galway City in 2015 for these efforts.^[4]

On 27 May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless to the 25th Seanad Éireann, becoming the first overseas Irish Senator.^[5]

Lawless has close ties to the Obama administration.^[6]

References

↑ "Pieta House founder among Kenny's Seanad nominees". RTÉ. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
↑ Devine, Catherine (30 May 2016). "New Senator: Giving Enda's daughter a J1 job in Chicago 'not cronyism'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
↑ Clarke, Vivienne (30 May 2016). "Billy Lawless: Giving Kenny's daughter J1 job 'not cronyism'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
1 2 3 O'Shea, Jamie (28 May 2016). "Billy Lawless named as first ever emigrant senator by Irish leader". Irish Central. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
↑ "Chicagoan Billy Lawless Appointed to Irish Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny". Irish American News. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
↑ http://www.irishcentral.com/news/New-Irish-emigrant-senator-under-fire-for-Fine-Gael-Kenny-links.html

« 24th Seanad « Members of the 25th Seanad Éireann (2016–) » 26th Seanad »

Cathaoirleach Leader of the Seanad

Administrative Panel	Martin Conway (FG) Mark Daly (FF) John Dolan (Ind) Maura Hopkins (FG) Kevin Humphreys (Lab) Niall Ó Donnghaile (SF) Diarmuid Wilson (FF)

Agricultural Panel	Victor Boyhan (Ind) Paddy Burke (FG) Maria Byrne (FG) Rose Conway-Walsh (SF) Paul Daly (FF) Denis Landy (Lab) Tim Lombard (FG) Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (SF) Brian Ó Domhnaill (FF) Denis O'Donovan (FF) Grace O'Sullivan (GP)

Cultural and Educational Panel	Lorraine Clifford-Lee (FF) Gabrielle McFadden (FG) Kieran O'Donnell (FG) Keith Swanick (FF) Fintan Warfield (SF)

Industrial and Commercial Panel	Catherine Ardagh (FF) Frances Black (Ind) Colm Burke (FG) Paul Coghlan (FG) Aidan Davitt (FF) Gerry Horkan (FF) Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (SF) Catherine Noone (FG) Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Lab)

Labour Panel	Jerry Buttimer (FG) Gerard Craughwell (Ind) Máire Devine (SF) Robbie Gallagher (FF) Paul Gavan (SF) Terry Leyden (FF) Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (FF) Ged Nash (Lab) Joe O'Reilly (FG) Ned O'Sullivan (FF) Neale Richmond (FG)

National University of Ireland	Alice Mary Higgins (Ind) Michael McDowell (Ind) Rónán Mullen (Ind)

University of Dublin	Ivana Bacik (Lab) David Norris (Ind) Lynn Ruane (Ind)

Nominated by the Taoiseach	Ray Butler (FG) Paudie Coffey (FG) Frank Feighan (FG) Joan Freeman (Ind) Colette Kelleher (Ind) Billy Lawless (Ind) Michelle Mulherin (FG) Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Ind) Marie-Louise O'Donnell (Ind) John O'Mahony (FG) James Reilly (FG)

FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael GP: Green Party SF: Sinn Féin Lab: Labour Party Ind: Independent

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