Occupation Businessman | Political party Independent Party Independent politician | |
 | ||
Constituency Nominated by the Taoiseach | ||
Billy lawless becomes a citizen
Billy Lawless is an Irish businessman and independent politician, appointed Senator on 27 May 2016.
Contents
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.
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.
He owns four restaurants in the Chicago area, employing 260 people, with plans to expand to six.
He is a board member and co-founder of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC) and Chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.
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.
On 27 May 2016, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Lawless to the 25th Seanad Éireann, becoming the first overseas Irish Senator.
Lawless has close ties to the Obama administration and was chosen to introduce the President when he announced his plans for immigration reform .