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

Bound typed official Supreme Court decision, signed by Liam Hamilton, Chief Justice, "The Supreme Court 118/97 In the Matter of Article 26 of the Constitution of Ireland And In the Matter of The Employment Equality Bill, 1996", referred by President Mary Robinson to Supreme Court on 03 April 1997, and heard in oral hearing before the Court over six days between 29th April and 7th May 1997.

Ref: P143/4/14/7

Bound typed official Supreme Court decision, signed by Liam Hamilton, Chief Justice, 19/06/1997, "The Supreme Court 156/97 In the Matter of Article 26 of the Constitution of Ireland And In the Matter of the Equal Status Bill, 1997", referred by President Mary Robinson to Supreme Court on 07 May 1997, and heard in oral hearing before the Court over six days between 10th and 11th May 199[7].

Ref: P143/4/14/8

Large unsigned document featuring harp [national emblem of Ireland] embossed and marked [TRANSLATION], "Convention on the Accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual Obligations opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980", for signature at Dublin Castle by Pádraig Flynn, TD, Minister for Justice for Ireland, nominated by President Mary Robinson (MR) as plenipotentiary, with space for signing by MR and Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, May 1992.

Ref: P143/4/14/9

Photocopy of unsigned declaration of President Mary Robinson (MR)'s resignation from Office of President of Ireland, effective 12th September 1997, cover memo from Peter Ryan, Secretary to President, giving background on her predecessor President Ó Dálaigh's resignation in 1976, and sharing his thoughts on number of instruments to be signed, 20/08/1997, with draft copy and draft cover letter, both with notation which, once finalised, were to be sent to Taoiseach, Chief Justice, Chairman of Seanad [Seanad Éireann, Irish Senate] and Chairman of Dáil [Dáil Éireann, lower House of Irish parliament].

Ref: P143/4/14/10

Material relating to the dissolution of Dáil Éireann [lower House of Irish Parliament] and role of the President of Ireland in that process. Includes memo from Peter Ryan, Secretary to the President, referring to and enclosing material from file which he had sought from the National Archives in November 1990, relating to 1937 (photocopies) and another which included a brief guiding note on the matter from 1989, 27/01/1992; photocopy of article by former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald in the Irish Times noting Mary Robinson (MR) as President would be correct to refuse to dissolve the Dáil on Mr Haughey's request (then Taoiseach), 25/01/1992; minutes including notation, of meeting with Mr Frank Clarke, SC [Senior Counsel], in relation to advice on dissolution of the Dáil, 14/11/1994; typed memo on 22 telephone calls received by Áras an Uachtaráin [official residence of the President of Ireland] mainly offering support to MR on her decision and requesting she try to see if General Election could be avoided, 14-15/11/1994; draft statements based on accepting or refusing to dissolve Dáil; typed document "Request for Advice" which relates to seeking of advice on legal issues relating to President exercising her discretionary power to refuse a dissolution; background material on the Irish constitution including chapter on "Summoning and Dissolving Dáil Éireann".

[Archivist's note: The 26th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary Robinson on 5 November 1992, at the request of the Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, who replaced Mr Charles Haughey as Taoiseach on 11/02/1992. The 27th Dáil saw a change of Taoiseach from Albert Reynolds to John Bruton in December 1994, the only time there was a new Taoiseach with a change in the party composition of the government during a Dáil term. The 27th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary Robinson on 15 May 1997, at the request of the Taoiseach, John Bruton.]

Ref: P143/4/14/11

Material relating to the Council of State, a body established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of their discretionary, reserve powers. Members include those by virtue of office (Taoiseach [Irish prime minister], Chief Justice, President of High Court, Chairman of Dáil Éireann [Irish lower house of parliament], Chairman of Seanad Éireann [Irish upper house of parliament], Attorney General), those by virtue of having held office (e.g. previous Taoisigh [Irish language term used for more than one Taoiseach]), and those appointed by the President. Members appointed by President Mary Robinson (MR): Monica Barnes; Emer Colleran; Patricia O'Donovan; Quintin Oliver; Rosemarie Smith; Donal Toolan; TK Whitaker [Chair?]. Material excludes that relating to MR addressing Houses of Oireachtas [Irish parliament] which can be seen in P143/4/11/3/5 and P143/4/11/6/2.

Ref: P143/4/14/12

Photocopy of letter sent by Peter Ryan (PR), Secretary to the President, to Mr Damien Kiberd, Editor, The Sunday Business Post, in relation to an article by Mark O'Connell with "an imputation that the President referred the Matrimonial Home Bill, 1993, to the Supreme Court to "copper fasten the legislation so that doubts could not be cast over its constitutionality in the course of the referendum campaign by those opposed to the introduction of divorce"", which PR stated were improper and untrue, 31/01/1994, photocopy of article itself, 30/1/1994, and of cover letter from PR to Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, where he requested all members of the Council of State be given a copy of both his letter and the article excerpt, 31/01/1994.

Ref: P143/4/14/12/1