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Material in this file consists of drafts and amendments relating to the legislation of various Bills including the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Bill, 1974, the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Bill, 1974, the Employment Equality Bill 1975, the Anti-Discrimination (Employment) Bill, 1975, the Protection of Employment Bill 1976, the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977, and the Employment Equality Act, 1977. It also includes official reports of Parliamentary Debates in Seanad Éireann (25/07/1973, 05/12/1979), and Dáil Éireann (05/05/1976).

Material in this subsubsubseries relates to Mary Robinson's work in the area of women and equality in the 1980s and includes correspondence, material relating to WPA [Women's Political Association], to the EEA [Employment Equality Agency], to AIM [Action Information Motivation] Group for Family Law Reform, to Courts Act, 1982 (Private Members Bill), to Council for the Status of Women (CSW), as well as addresses, material relating to various events, and articles and reports.

Material in this file consists of correspondence, carbon copies of same and circulars from organisations and people in their professional capacity to Mary Robinson (MR), (unless otherwise specified) in relation to women and equality including circular from Centre D'Études Européennes [Centre of European Studies], University Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, requesting information on state of receiver's research in the field of European integration, 02/1980; circular from CREW [Centre for Research on European Women], Brussels, Belgium in relation to the establishment by them of a Coordinating Committee for the Representation of Women at the European Level, 30/11/1981; correspondence from Louis Courtney, ex MO [Medical Officer] Nenagh County hospital, ex Assistant Master, National Maternity Hospital relating to lack of maternity services for women on North Tipperary, 23/01/1982; press release from Council of Europe in relation to the establishment of a Council of Europe Committee to Study the Role of Women in Politics, 14/12/1983; letter from Barry Desmond TD [Teachta Dála, member of Dáil Éireann, lower house of Irish parliament], Minister for Social Welfare, in relation to the change in formula for calculating maternity allowance, 16/12/1983-29/03/1984; letter from Dr Elizabeth Vallance, Senior Lecturer in Government and Political studies, Queen Mary College, University of London, (signed by Jeanette Shaffer) requesting to meet to discuss research she was carrying out for European Commission on effects of European Equality legislation on national legislation, 15/05/1984; correspondence between MR and Pauline Hall, Training Consultant, Jacinta Elliott, Christine Gara, Irish Women’s Co-operative Development Society, Mary Liddy, AnCO [An Comhairle Oiliúna (The Training Council)] and John Agnew, Department of Labour in relation to the submission by Hall to the Joint Committee on Women's Rights, regarding the "Provision of Training for Women in Self-Employment and Co-operatives" and which included the submission, a proposed course outline, 02/02/1984-21/06/1984; letter from Nuala Fennell, TD, Minister of State for Women's Affairs accompanying a copy of Fennell's position paper on developments in women's affairs, 12/11/1986; letter from Paul Cullen, Special Policy Adviser to the Minister for Labour accompanying summary of main proposals for amendment of Equality Legislation prepared as a basis for consultation by Mr Ruairi Quinn, TD, Minister for Labour and the Public Service, 21/01/1987; circular from Róisín McDermott, Secretary for Women's Aid in relation to outcome of recent case and demanding comprehensive legislative change, 13/7/1987.

Material relating to WPA [Women's Political Association] in 1980s including minutes, agendas, circulars, draft constitution, flyers, general guidelines for canvassing and other material relating to general elections including stickers ""More Votes for Your Woman" 27/02/1980-19/07/1988.

Material relating to the EEA [Employment Equality Agency] including correspondence, submissions, memorandums, and statements by the agency along with photocopies of correspondence between EEA and others relating to various cases being taken before the Labour Court. It includes letter of thanks from Gregory F O'Neill, solicitor, to Mary Robinson (MR), in relation to equality claim which MR referred Sylvia Meehan [chairperson, EEA] to him for, 13/06/1980; correspondence from Helena Gleeson, EEA, to MR in relation to meeting between chairperson of EEA, and heads of Equal Opportunities Commissions Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 25/03/1981; photocopies of correspondence between Meehan and WJ Fitzpatrick, General Secretary, Irish Union for the Distributive Workers and Clerks in relation to Labour Court's determinations in favour of the Equal Pay Claims lodged by the union members against their employer PMPA 04-17/08/1981; photocopies of correspondence relating to alleged discrimination by the Western Health Board of members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, and involving the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU), 31/03/1983-19/04/1983; Labour Court Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act, 1974 Equality Officer's Recommendation in case involving Arthur Guinness Son & Co. (Dublin) Ltd and Ms Rita Murtagh (Represented by the Federated Workers' Union of Ireland, 10/06/1983; correspondence between Meehan and ITGWU relating to case of Mrs O'Brien which Meehan had advised her was best dealt with by the union, 17/05/1984 (includes copy of outline of case for Counsel's Opinion); letter from Meehan to Ruairi Quinn, TD [Teachta Dála, member of Dáil Éireann, lower house of Irish parliament], Minister for Labour regarding EEA's views on the jurisdiction of Labour Court in Appeals from Recommendations issued by Equality Officers, 07/06/1984; copy of statement on subject of Draft Directive on Part-Time Work, published by EEA, 07/06/1984, along with cover letter from Paul Cullen, Chief Officer EEA, and carbon copy of reply from MR, 08-11/06/1984; memorandum commissioned by EEA on range of EEC [European Economic Community] instruments relating to the reduction and reorganising of working time, with cover letter from Paul Cullen to MR, 19/06/1984; copy of Labour Court determination in case of Appeal by Northern Health Board against Equality Officer's recommendation, 13/06/1985; EEA press statement, with notation, on "Proposals of Minister for Public Service to the Government regarding Arrangements for Promotion to Top Jobs in Civil Service", 19[85?]; outline of case of Collette and Liam Nolan and letter from Meehan to MR asking if a case could be taken by EEA to Labour Court on the Nolans' behalf, 06/1985; Equality Officer's Recommendation in case of Revenue Commissioners and Seamus O'Sullivan, with compliment slip from Meehan to MR, 26/07/1985; copy of letter from B O'Riordan, Department of Labour, to Meehan, in relation to the review of the equality legislation, and EEA's recommendation that the Employment Equality Act, 1977 be extended to cover areas of education and provision of goods, facilities and services, 27/08/1985; EEA postcard from Meehan to MR "Eve Equals Adam...except when there's a snake in the grass", 05/09/1988; handwritten letter from Meehan to MR discussing Medeering Ltd case [report on suspected failure by them to provide Equal Pay for group of female employees can be found in P143/1/3/2/2/4], 198[3?]; photocopy of newspaper article "Prove Equal Pay: EC" and compliment slip from Meehan to MR asking if she knew anything about case referenced, 18/10/1989.

Material in this file consists of EEA [Employment Equality Agency] publications and reports, along with press releases and addresses which took place during report launches. It includes report "Monitoring the Labour Market Progress of Women in Ireland: Statistics Needed for Employment Equality", by Steven H Sandell, 12/1980; press release relating to launch of the 1980 Annual Report of the EEA, 12/1981; address by Sylvia Meehan, Chairperson of EEA and statement by Senator Mary Robinson (MR), Labour Party Spokesperson, at launch of EEA's annual report, 05/12/1982; report "Schooling and Sex roles", with cover letter to MR from Paul Cullen, Chief Officer, EEA, 06/07/1983; report "A formal Investigation under section 39 of the Employment Equality Act, 1977, in regard to the suspected failure of Medeering Ltd. to provide Equal Pay for a group of female employees", 198[?]; report "the role of the Labour court in Enforcement Procedures under Equality Legislation - Recommendations for Change", 06/1984; report "Transitions to Equal Opportunity at work: Problems and Possibilities", by Dr Eunice McCarthy, 12/1986; press release re launch of "Irish National report on Childcare and Equality of Opportunity", 14/09/1988; EEA newsletters "Equality News", 11/1986, 09/1987, 12/1987, 04/1988, 08/1987, 12/1988.

Material relating to AIM [Action Information Motivation] Group for Family Law Reform including AIM report on the Civil Legal Aid scheme, with cover note to Mary Robinson (MR) from Mary O'Neill (MO’N) [PRO/Administrator], 09/01/1984; correspondence between MO'N and MR relating to criticisms of the Law Reform Commission and MO'N inviting MR to be considered for membership of same, which MR had to decline as being member of Oireachtas (houses of Irish parliament) disqualified her from appointment, 17/12/1984-15/01/1985; letter of thanks to MR from Trisha McKay, Administrator AIM Group, for her assistance promoting AIM Groups new leaflet on Judicial Separation, 31/10/1989 and summary of address by MR at launch of AIM Group pamphlet on Judicial Separation, 18/11/1989; samples of AIM Group leaflets including "How Can I get Maintenance?", "Family Violence", "Legal Separation Agreements", "The Law & Church Annulments", "The Family Home", "children and Family Law", 198[5?]-1989.

This file consists of correspondence to Mary Robinson from members of the public outlining issues they had with discrimination.

Courts Act, 1982 (Private Members Bill)
Material in this file relates to the Courts Act, 1982 (Private Members Bill) which sought to introduce an Act to amend the Courts Bill, 1981, by postponing for a further 12 months the coming into operation of certain sections of that Bill which proposed to transfer jurisdiction in important areas of family law from the High Court to the District and Circuit Courts. It was drafted by Mary Robinson (MR) and introduced by Labour Leader Dick Spring in order to give time for the District and Circuit Courts to become better equipped to handle these cases as well as the opportunity to consider whether this was best course of action. The Government was also being called on to allocate time in the Dáil for discussion of the bill.

The file includes photocopy of Courts (Amendment) Bill, 1982 Arrangement in Sections; photocopy of circular from MR on the need for urgent consideration of the Bill before 12th May 1982, with copy of Courts Bill 1982 which she drafted, 30/04/1982; press release from Cherish [Irish Association of Single Parents] and circular from its chairperson, Mary Liddy, to members of the Dáil Éireann [lower house of Irish parliament], expressing concern that the decision to transfer jurisdiction would give rise to difficulties in the area of family law, calling on the government to allow time for the deferment to be discussed and expressing hope that a deferment would reopen the possibility of establishing family courts with proper facilities, 01/05/1982; letter on behalf of Brendan Allen, President, The Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, to MR, regretting that he could not support her amendment either privately or publicly, 04/05/1982; correspondence from Clara Clarke, Organising Secretary, Council for the Status of Women, including their press release calling on the Government to allocate time for discussion on Courts Bill 1982, 04/05/1982 and replies from various TDs [Teachta Dála, member of Dáil Éireann] to MR who had sent the press release to them, 04-11/05/1982; letter from AIM [Action Information Motivation] Group to the Letters Editor [National press?], relating to their concern that women seeking Protection or Barring orders were being turned away due to family law-related summonses not being served in many District and Circuit Courts, 19/05/1982; letter from Kathleen Chandler for Mary Liddy, listing TDs who had responded to press release being sent to them, 25/05/1982; cuttings 05-20/05/1982.

In 1973 a group of feminists, chaired by Hilda Tweedy of the Irish Housewives Association, set up the Council for the Status of Women (CSW), with the goal of gaining equality for women. It was an umbrella body for women's groups. During the 1990s the council's activities included supporting projects funded by the European Social Fund and running Women and Leadership Programmes and forums. In 1995, following a strategic review, it changed its name to the National Women's Council of Ireland.

This file consists of correspondence between Mary Robinson (MR) and the CSW, agendas, reports and a newsletter. It includes a copy of the "Women and the Law" report sent by Ita Gannon, Governor, Women and the Law, 19/11/1980; correspondence from Margaret Walsh, Chairwoman, CSW, 31/01/1984 relating to a report "Who Cares about the Carers?" which was not included; correspondence between MR and Caroline McCamley, Chairwoman CSW, seeking advice on financial and other matters 08/10/1986-07/09/1987; correspondence relating to a request from Lady Carew for the CSW to look at taking a test case, and MR's recommendation they not become involved in family case being heard in courts 04/09/1986-26/03/1987 (no case details included); agenda for CSW Council meeting, 06/06/1987; letter from Daphne Passmore, Chairwoman, Health Committee, CSW, re launch of report on proceedings of Women's health conference held earlier in 1987, 12/09/1987; booklet "Regional Women - the forgotten Women", proceedings of the CSW's conference, Limerick, 12/1986; CSW Annual Report, 1986; newsletter Autumn/Winter 1988.