Billy Lawless

Senator
Billy Lawless
Senator
Assumed office
11 May 2016
Constituency Nominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born William Gordon Lawless
(1951-07-04) 4 July 1951
Galway, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party Independent
Spouse(s) Kate Lawless (m. 1980)
Children 4
Alma mater

William Gordon Lawless (born 4 July 1951) is an Irish Independent politician and businessman who has served as a Senator since May 2016, upon being Nominated by the Taoiseach.[1]

Lawless is a 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 U.S. 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 in 2015 for these efforts.[4]

On 11 May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless to the 25th Seanad, becoming the first overseas Irish Senator.[5]

Lawless had close ties to the Obama administration and was chosen to introduce the President when he announced his plans for immigration reform.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Pieta House founder among Kenny's Seanad nominees". RTÉ. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  2. ↑ Devine, Catherine (30 May 2016). "New Senator: Giving Enda's daughter a J1 job in Chicago 'not cronyism'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  3. ↑ Clarke, Vivienne (30 May 2016). "Billy Lawless: Giving Kenny's daughter J1 job 'not cronyism'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  4. 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.
  5. ↑ "Chicagoan Billy Lawless Appointed to Irish Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny". Irish American News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  6. ↑ http://www.irishcentral.com/news/New-Irish-emigrant-senator-under-fire-for-Fine-Gael-Kenny-links.html
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