Two handwritten poems by Mairéad Manton "President Mary Robinson" and "Captain Cheshire" in single frame.

Ref: P143/4/13/12

Framed typed prayer "A Prayer for Peace", by Joe Noonan on behalf of Athlone VTOS, no date.

[The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme is a second chance education and training scheme for adults which provides courses of up to two years duration for jobseekers].

Ref: P143/4/13/13

Large framed certificate from Castlebar Urban District Council according President Mary Robinson a civic reception, as "The first Mayo citizen to be elected to the highest office in the Land", signed by Chairman Eamonn Joyce, Vice Chairman [? Egan?] and Town Clerk, John [Condon?], 03/05/1991.

Ref: P143/4/13/14

This subseries consists of correspondence and other material relating to legal issues and responsibilities attached to role of President of Ireland, the signing of several bills. Material includes that relating to the Referendum (Amendment) Bill, 1992 (P143/4/14/2), Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill, 1993 (P143/4/14/3), Matrimonial Home Bill (P143/4/14/4), Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill, 1993 (P143/4/14/5), Regulation of Information (Services Outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies), Bill, 1995 (P143/4/14/6), The Employment Equality Bill, 1996 (P143/4/14/7), The Equal Status Bill, 1997 (P143/4/14/8), Mary Robinson resigning as president (P143/4/14/10), dissolution of Dáil Éireann (P143/4/14/11), Council of State (P143/4/14/12), compilation lists of Irish Cases (P143/4/14/13) and Dáil acts passed (P143/4/14/14).
Ref: P143/4/14

Correspondence relating to legal issues and responsibilities of role of President of Ireland including typed memo from Micheál [?] on the procedures for the appointment of The Judge Advocate by the President, with copy of Section 15 of the Defence Act 1954, 06/12/1990; handwritten note from Peter Ryan (PR), Secretary to the President, flagging that section 8 of the Adoption Bill was causing concern and attaching photocopy of Dáil debates where the Adoption Bill was discussed, 08-28/05/1991; typed memos from PR to Ann Lane, Personal Assistant to the President, in relation to the appointment of two High Court Judges, at Áras an Uachtaráin [official residence of the President of Ireland], later in the year, 16-20/09/1991; photocopy of Government press release on Taoiseach [Irish Prime Minister]'s nominees for Seanad Éireann [Irish Senate], 10/02/1993; draft text for appointment by MR of Professor Roger Stalley, as Trustee of Chester Beatty Library, 1993; typed memos from Peter Ryan (PR) to Mary Robinson (MR) in relation to proposal from Government to introduce urgent Bill to close loophole in connection with drink driving cases, 23/06/1993, in relation to legislation re "Somalia Peace Enforcement", 24/06/1993, in relation to referral of two bills to the Supreme Court (The Matrimonial Home Bill, 1993 and The Criminal Law (Public Order) Bill, 1993), 11/10/1993, and in relation to the presentation for signature of the Matrimonial Home Bill, 1993, 23/11/1993; photocopy of correspondence between Patrick Boland, Managing Director, Sonas Publishing Company Ltd., and Joseph Brennan, Deputy Secretary to the President, in which Boland had gifted a photo-painting of MR, and planned, without approval, to include it in "The Sonas Collection", and which was being returned unopened, as the project would "present fundamental difficulties insofar as the Office of the President was concerned", with Brennan noting that should the project proceed, the provision of Section 65 of The Trade Marks Act, 1963 would need to be taken into account, and all publicity and advertising would need to clearly state project had not received approval or been sanctioned by the President, 14/07/1994; photocopy of letter from Harold A Whelan to Taoiseach resigning from the Office of Attorney General following his nomination by the Government for appointment by MR to the Office of President of the High Court, of official statement in Irish from Government advising MR as President to accept his resignation, and photocopy of MR's acceptance of the resignation, 11/11/1994; photocopy of Government press release "Establishment of Constitution Review Group", under chairmanship of Dr TK Whitaker, 27/04/1995; typed document from Dept of the Environment, sent to MR, giving results of the Referendum of 24 November 1995 [15th Amendment Dissolution of Marriage: removed the constitutional prohibition on divorce, and allowed for the dissolution of a marriage provided specified conditions were satisfied], with cover note from Colm Butler noting the Bill had not been presented yet for signature, 14-15/06/1996 [it was signed on 17th]; typed note from PR relating to the Family Law (Divorce) Bill, 1996, giving reasoning behind MR's decision not to consult with the Council of State on it or refer it to the Supreme Court, 22/11/1996; correspondence between MR and Ms Annette O'Connell, Registrar, Tribunal of Inquiry (Dunnes Payments), in which MR responds that she had not personally received any payment from Dunnes Holding Company, and that she had become aware a donation was made to the Labour party for her Presidential campaign, which would need to be queried directly Mr Ruairi Quinn, Director of Elections, 03-11/03/1997.

Ref: P143/4/14/1

Material relating to the Referendum (Amendment) Bill, 1992 to amend the Constitution to provide for the holding of a referendum, including memo to President Mary Robinson (MR) from Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President, in which he notes he could not see any constitutional implications, and informing MR of when it was most likely to be presented for signature, 18/05/1992, and to MR from Tadhg Ó S[?], Referendum Returning Officer, Department of the Environment, giving results of vote on referendum taken on 18 June 1992, 15/07/1992.

Ref: P143/4/14/2

Typed letter from Mr Myles Tierney, PC, in relation to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill, 1993, in which he shares his concerns about the Bill, includes excerpts from report prepared by the Irish Family Planning Association, and urges President Mary Robinson to refer it to the Supreme Court, with response from Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President, 24-30/06/1993.

Ref: P143/4/14/3

Material relating to the Matrimonial Home Bill [aiming to give each Spouse equal rights to house ownership], including typed memo from Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President, to President Mary Robinson (MR) noting Bill had been passed in the Seanad [Seanad Éireann, Irish Senate] with one amendment and was expected to be taken by the Dáil [Dáil Éireann, lower house of Irish parliament] later in the month, with background information on some of the issues and recommendation MR refer Bill to Supreme Court, 04/11/1993; original typed decision of Supreme Court, which found proposed Bill "repugnant to the Constitution", and signed by Chief Justice Finlay, 24/01/1994; A3 photocopy of legal declaration by President of Ireland to Chairman of Seanad Éireann, declining to sign Bill based on Supreme Court's finding, [January?] 1994.

Ref: P143/4/14/4

Material relating to the Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill, 1993 including various Supreme Court Judgements sent to Bride [Rosney, Special Adviser to the President] by Emer Colleran, An Taisce, 30/05/1993; fax from Colleran with more background information and commentary on issues with the Bill, and note that she was "not trying to influence", 04/06/1993; fax from An Taisce of letter they sent to Minister Michael Smith, TD, Minister for the Environment, in which they lay out issues they had with Bill, 04/06/1993; memo from Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President, to President Mary Robinson in relation to the timing of when Bill would be presented for signature, the issues with it and his contention that they were more political than legal, along with copies of Bill which had passed the Dáil [Dáil Éireann, lower house of Irish parliament] and cuttings relating to criticism Bill was facing, 10-11/06/1993.

Ref: P143/4/14/5

Various Bills presented to President Mary Robinson (MR) for signature with some additional related material including Referendum (Amendment) Bill, 1992, with cover note from Peter Ryan (PR), Secretary to the President, attaching a fax from Senator Brendan Ryan, suggesting that Section 2 may be in breach of the Constitution, 15-18/05/1992; Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1992 [permitted the State to ratify the Treaty on European Union, commonly known as the Maastricht Treaty], 15/05/1992, and photocopy of translated Bill ratifying the Treaty, November 1992; Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill, 1993, with cover letter from PR enclosing submission from Ms Geraldine O'Brien, Cork Environmental Alliance, 02/04-10/07/1992; Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Bill, 1992, with letter from Mr David Munro suggesting MR refer it to Supreme Court, 15-20/07/1992; Presidential Elections Bill, 1993, 18-22/11/1993; photocopy of proclamation by MR fixing 17 Feb 1993 for first meeting of Seanad Éireann [Irish Senate] following General Election, 10-11/02/1993; photocopy of translation of nomination by MR of Gearóid Ó Cléirigh as Plenipotentiary, giving him "Full Powers and Authority" to sign the Convention on Jurisdiction and the Enforcement of Judgements in Civil and Commercial Matters, July 1993; photocopy of draft translation of ratification of Act amending the Protocol on the statute of the European Investment Bank empowering the Board of Governors to establish the European Investment Fund, 1993; copy of nomination by MR of Albert Reynolds, Taoiseach, Dick Spring, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Pádraic McKernan, Permanent Representative of Ireland at the European Union as Plenipotentiaries in relation to Treaty concerning accession of Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Austria, Republic of Finland and Kingdom of Sweden to European Union, June 1994, and copy of ratification, November 1994; photocopy of draft acceptance by MR of retirement of Pádraig L Mac Domhnaill (Patrick L McDonnell, Comptroller and Auditor General), July 1994; material relating to Regulation of Information (Services Outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies), Bill, 1995, including photocopy of Supreme Court decision Bill was not repugnant to the Constitution, with cover letter from by Liam Hamilton, Chief Justice, and photocopy of MR's declaration she had signed Bill following their decision, 12/05/1995.

Ref: P143/4/14/6