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.

Typed copies and drafts of keynote speeches and contributions by Senator Mary Robinson (MR), 1973-1987, at various conferences and events which related to women, equality, and the law. They include "Equality for Women", contribution on discussion paper of ITGWU [Irish Trade and General Workers' Union] at annual delegate conference, 29/05/1980; summary of contribution by MR "the Contribution of Women Graduates to society", at meeting of Dublin University Women Graduates, Trinity College Dublin, 04/11/1980; summary of contribution by MR "Young Women and Employment", European Youth Forum, 03/12/1980; statement on annual report of Employment Equality Agency, 05/01/1982; summary of contribution by MR "Women in Europe - the Socialist Approach", Mansion House, Dublin, 23/03/1984 and public meeting in support of Michael D Higgins, Atlanta Hotel, Galway, 09/06/1984; 10th Countess Markievicz Memorial Lecture, "Women, Work and Equality", 198[5?]; summary of speech "Labour Women in Dublin", given by MR at Labour press conference, 09/06/1985; summary of contribution by MR, "Women and Parliament", Merriman Summer School, 24/08/1985; summary and drafts of keynote speech by MR, "Women and the Law in Ireland" at seminar organised by UCD Women's Studies forum, 02/05/1986, another version of same speech given at Women's Worlds Conference, 01/07/1987 and correspondence between MR and Ailbhe Smyth, WERRC [Women's Education Research Resource Centre], University College Dublin in relation to a copy of speech being published in a Reader of Irish Women's Studies, 30/12/1992-11/01/1993; typed document "Women and 1992" and outline of lecture by MR "Equal Pay and Equal treatment - Analysis of Recent case Law of ECJ [European Court of Justice] and National Courts, 19[8?].

Flyers, press releases and research material including statement from Women's Aid expressing horror that Judge Barrington had suspended the sentence of man charged with murder of a 61 year old woman, for one year and his remarks that had the defendant not being drinking the crime would not have happened, 06/05/1982; various flyers issued by Minister of State for Women's Affairs 198[5?]; press statement by President of ICTU [Irish Congress of Trade Unions], Jim McCusker at launch of new Charter of Rights for Women, with copy of charter, 30/08/1985; copy of schedule of court sittings, 03/198[?]; various article on family law including from The Incorporated Law Society of Ireland and photocopies of law journals, 1984; Attic Press catalogue 1988 [wholly Irish owned and controlled women's publishing house]; circular from Committee on the Administration of Justice, the Northern Ireland Civil Liberties Council, 15/02/1989, attached to Briefing Paper on the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Bill, 02/1979, summary from British Embassy, Dublin, 25/05/1988 and White Paper on Fair Employment in Northern Ireland, presented to (UK) Parliament by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 05/1988.

Material in this subsubseries relates to Mary Robinson (MR)'s work in the area of child welfare including legislation and is arranged across 15 files, for the most part in chronological order. It includes material relating to "Child First", the organisation, formed in 10/05/1974, concerned with the welfare of children in adoption, and with proposed amendments to the Adoption Bill 1974 (P143/1/3/3/1); material relating to various Adoption Bills in Ireland and Northern Ireland including in relation to the Adoption Bill MR puts before Seanad Éireann [upper house of Irish parliament, Senate] in 1971 which she withdraws in favour of a Government promise to introduce a bill before Christmas 1972, and the Adoption Bill 1974 (P143/1/3/3/2); material relating to 6th Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1978, a private members bill put forward by the Labour party (P143/1/3/3/3); material relating to Maintenance Orders Bill (P143/1/3/3/4); correspondence and articles relating to changes in Adoption Law (P143/1/3/3/5-8); material relating to the Working Group on Child Abuse, convened by the ICCL [Irish Council for Civil Liberties] of which MR was a member and Chair of sub-committee examining legal aspects (P143/1/3/3/9-11); material relating to the Sanctuary Trust, a Board of Trustees founded by Clodagh Corcoran, Chairwoman of the Working Group on Child Abuse, in December 1985 on which MR was a Trustee (P143/1/3/3/12); articles, reports and other research material (P143/1/3/3/13); material relating to ISPCC [Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children] (P143/1/3/3/14) and newspaper cuttings (P143/1/3/3/15).

Research material consisting of reports, surveys, articles and other documents relating to Mary Robinson (MR)'s work on the Working Group on Child Abuse. It includes material gathered on child abuse in schools, by Tadgh Ó Ruairc, with cover letter to MR, 21/02/1983, copy of letter from Patrick Lennon, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin (05/07/1982) and copy of legal opinion sent to him by John MacMenamin, B.L.; information pack on incest published by Scottish Women's Aid Incest Group n.d.; thesis "Incest- Project submitted for Diploma in Social Studies by Paula Scully" 198[?]; "Bernardo's Response to the Child Care Bill 1988”; photocopy of Summary of Recommendations of the Working Group with notation, 1988; copy of the ISPCC [Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children] National Children's Campaign document with cover letter to MR from Cian Ó Tighearnaigh, Chief Executive Officer, which references the redrafting of the Child Care & Protection Bill, 1985 coming before Dáil Éireann [lower house of Irish parliament], 14/01/1988.

[Archivist’s note: Some material is of a sensitive nature.]

Folder labelled: "material from ISPCC [Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children] re Children": contains flyers, booklets, annual reports for ISPCC 1992, journal of Child-Centred Practice, March 1994

Material in this file relates to the drive to amend and update Divorce Law and consists predominantly of correspondence from professional individuals and organisations (1970s). It contains correspondence from the Marriage Counselling Service (MCS) including their annual report, 1971, a report from the Cork Branch AGM, 01/03/1973, and newsletter 07/1974, (1971-20/11/1975); correspondence, reports and other material relating to the Labour Women's National Council sub-committee on Family Law, including draft interim statement on Nullity/Divorce and the need for a Divorce Law, following the publication of the White paper on the Law of Nullity in Ireland (12/10-11/11/1976); correspondence from AD Baker to Mary Robinson (MR), Professor E Davis, Chairman, The Economic and Social Research Institute, The Attorney General and the National Press outlining his position and concerns relating to the contents of the booklet "The Law of Nullity in Ireland", 14/02-20/07/1977; correspondence from Eilis McCullough, Liaison Officer, Women's Aid, outlining anonymised case history, 20/01/1978 and letter from Kevin Boyle, Faculty of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway regarding prospect of Boyle and MR taking a case to Europe that tested Irish Divorce Law (or lack thereof), 21/11/1979.

Material in this file relates to the drive to amend the Constitution in respect of the prohibition of divorce (10th Amendment to the constitution), including in relation to the referendum in Ireland held on 26/06/1986, and consists predominantly of correspondence from professional individuals and organisations (1980s). It includes correspondence (with Mary Robinson unless otherwise stated) from Jean Tansey, Chairperson, Labour Women's National Council 24/04-17/10/1980; Patrick Quinn, The Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, 15/10/1980; William [Duncan?], 198[0?]; Jesuit Rev Edmund Grace, which included a typed article by him "Divorce and the Natural Law: An Irish Comment", 25/06/1980-21/01/1981; Peter McDermott, Secretary, University College Dublin Branch, Labour Party, 28/01/1981; from John O' Connor to Michael Roberts which included draft chapter of Divorce Information book covering Church attitudes, 12/06/1981; from Pat Conway, Administrator, Women's Aid in relation to need for refuge shelter, 28/10-18/10/1981; from Rev Ramond Field, Director, Catholic Marriage Advisory Council (CMAC), 12/1981; from Professor Desmond Greer, Faculty of Law, Queen's University Belfast, 05/01/1982; from Magda O'Farrell Heuston, Women's Divorce Support Group [03]/1982; from Barry Desmond, Minister for Health and Social Welfare, 17/02-04/03/1983 in which MR lists her criticisms of the terms of reference for a Joint Committee on Marriage Breakdown; from Anne Williams, Trisha Mc Kay, Anne Andrews for AIM [Action Information Motivation] Group 23/06/1983, 07/11/1986, 26/02/1987 including comments from Andrews on the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Bill, 1987; photocopies of correspondence from Wenda Edwards, Chairperson, Family Aid [formerly Women's Aid] to Nora Greene, Community Care Services, Eastern Health Board, 15-22/11/1985; correspondence from Patrick Malone, member Family Solidarity, 18/03/1986; from Daniel O'Sullivan in relation to a programme aired "Today tonight" on the Divorce Referendum (24/04/1986), which was also sent to the press, 29/04/1986; from Aiden Waterstone, Vice President for Public Relations, Irish Association of Social Workers, 06/06/1986; circular "The Divorce Amendment" sent to University of Dublin (Trinity College Dublin) alumni from the three Dublin University Senators MR, Catherine McGuinness and Shane Ross, 12/06/1986; correspondence from Dermot JM Sherlock, Recorder of Alumni, University of Dublin, complaining about use of outdated addresses when "the Divorce Amendment" circular was sent out, 20/06/1986; from Bishop Brendan Comiskey of Ferns, which includes his statement on the Divorce Referendum, 24/06/1986-01/07/1986; from Sean Redmond, Chairman, ICCL [Irish Council for Civil Liberties], 198[?]; from William Duncan, 25/02-05/03/1987; photocopy of letter from Carmel Gilbride, Development Officer, Marriage Counselling Service Ltd., re celebrating its 25th anniversary, 20/10/1987 and copy of their submission to the Joint Committee on Marriage Breakdown from Paul McMahon, Chairman 07-08/03/1988 and circular from Family Lawyer's Association relating to seminar with topic "Family Law - the taxation implications", 07/04/1989.

It also contains a folder labelled "8th Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1980", consisting of some correspondence and draft Bills drawn up by MR and sent to members of the Labour Party, which aimed to offer a way to remove the prohibition on divorce (16/04-12/05/1980). This is not to be confused with the 8th Amendment relating to abortion referred to elsewhere (see P143/1/3/1/2/5).

Correspondence between Mary Robinson and members of public relating to change in Divorce Laws including individuals seeking assistance in their own cases and those objecting/supporting the introduction of Divorce in Ireland.

Some material is restricted due to sensitive and personal nature of contents.

[Please consult archivist to enquire about access to restricted material.]

This folder, labelled "DAG" [Divorce Action Group], consists of material relating to the group which was set up in 1980 to advocate for divorce as a personal right and which campaigned for a YES vote in the 1986 referendum, and includes correspondence between the group and Mary Robinson, flyers, brochures, agendas, reports and a poster 09/04/1980-29/03/1987.