File 1 - Áras correspondence 1994 Part 1

71 pp

Correspondence mainly to President Mary Robinson (MR) from Peter Ryan (PR), Secretary to the President, including memo and attached correspondence relating to invitations and possible visits for 1994, along with notes on those not accepted, 15/12/1993-04/01/1994; memo from PR to Frank Murray (FM), Secretary to the Government, relating to call MR had received from Bosnian Prime Minister Dr Haris Silajdzic extending invitation to her to visit Sarajevo along with Benezir Bhutto and Tansu Ciller, 13/01/1994; list of invitations from foreign universities (1991-1994), 14/01/1994; note on security lapse at Áras an Uachtaráin, and need to update written instructions to staff personnel, 19/01/1994; note from PR to say Tánaiste "was up to his ears" and there was no possibility of meeting that day, 20/01/1994; notes of meeting with Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on 21st January, which covered topics including United Nations (UN) invitation [to head major study on future of UN] and legal opinions on the role of the President, and issues which had come to the fore including leaks to press and inconsistency in what invitations Government was allowing her to accept, along with notes on other matters including the December Joint Declaration (on Northern Ireland), 21/01/1994; note from Kay Gleeson, Personnel Officer, Áras an Uachtaráin [official residence of the President of Ireland] on procedures in relation to receipt of packages, 31/01-01/02/1994; notes from PR on estimates of expenditure for 1994, and fact that travel to Switzerland would push it over the budget, 03-28/02/1994.

This file also includes material relating to the “Ford Foundation Row" including notes on meeting between MR and Tánaiste [Dick Spring], which took place on MR's initiative following receipt of a letter from the Tánaiste about the Government decision on the Ford Foundation invitation and the legal opinion subsequently obtained by the President regarding the role of the President, 10/02/1994; photocopy of letter from MR to both Taoiseach and Tánaiste regarding concern she had over Emily O'Reilly's article in Irish Press and "over the disclosure, yet again in relation to the matter of the Ford Foundation invitation, of confidential dealings between the President and Government", noting she was not only concerned at the fact of the leak but its implications (re relationship between Office of President and Government), 17/02/1994; photocopy of response from Taoiseach, 17/02/1994; note on phone call from Niall Burgess, Private Secretary to the Tánaiste, in response asking that the "inference in that letter about [his] personal integrity" be withdrawn, 17/02/1994; photocopy of response to Tánaiste from MR where she stated she was making no inference only stating facts, and added "If matters that are discussed in such an intimate and confidential setting later appear in the media, by whatever process, it is difficult to see how relations between this office and the Government can be conducted in an atmosphere that facilitates the open exchange of views...", 18/02/1994; off the record handwritten notes by PR following conversation with MR giving sequence of events; selection of photocopies of press articles rating to the row, 17-20/02/1994.

Ref: P143/4/6/1/5/1

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