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, submissions and reports relating to the work of the CSW. Material includes folder labelled "Sexual Harassment" consisting of press release from CSW calling for coordinated action on European Community resolution on Sexual Harassment (05/07/1990), flyer and press release regarding Win For Change's events on Women's Day 08/03/1990 [group seeking greater justice, equality and unbiased media coverage], and research material regarding sexual harassment in Employment and various approaches to employment equality and legalisation against harassment (19[8?]-199[?]); press release announcing launch of initiative on women and sport, by CSW Chairwoman Frances Fitzgerald, with CSW's 1989 Annual report, 02/08/1990; report "Don't Let Life Be A Drag" from one day CSW seminar on young women and smoking, 199[1?]; submission from WIG [Women in Golf] to Commission on the Status of Women, 03/1991; submission to the Commission on the Status of Women by the CSW, March 1991 with cover letter from Frances Fitzgerald, to MR, and reply from Ann Lane on her behalf, 22-30/04/1991; report "Leadership & Women from Participation to Partnership The Challenge of the 1990s" Council for the Status of Women, with cover letter from Frances Fitzgerald to MR, and reply from Ann Lane on her behalf, 01-07/10/1991; copy of submission to 2nd Commission on the Status of Women by Dublin Lesbian Line Collective (Eileen, Ger, Paula, Suzanne, Eemer, Teresa, Jenny - note no last names and some fake names), March 1991, with cover letter to President Robinson from Geraldine Moane thanking her for inviting group of lesbians and gay men to Áras an Uachtaráin previous Sunday, and reply from Ann Lane on her behalf, 17-22/12/1992; submission to 2nd Commission from ATGWU [Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union] with cover letter from Avila Kilmurray, Regional Women's Organiser to President Robinson, and from Ann Lane on her behalf, 25/09-01/10/1991; photocopy of submission to 2nd Commission from The Catholic Women's Federation, 199[1?]; handwritten and typed notes on Status of Women report (no report in folder), 199[1/2?].

Correspondence, newsletters, journals, flyers, cuttings and other material relating to the WPA [Women's Political Association] including January newsletter 1990; circular regarding first meeting of 1990, March 1990; material relating to WPA meeting 09/05/1990 celebrating Schuman Day including invite to Mary Robinson (MR) to address meeting from Frances Gardiner, 28/04/1990, notes, drafts and summary of MR's address "Local Democracy in the Context of European Unity" along with several cuttings possibly used for research (04-26/04/1990), copy of address given by Christoffer Bertelsen, Counsellor, Royal Danish Embassy at same event, with cover letter from him to MR and reply from Ann Lane on her behalf, 08-14/06/1990; poster for WPA talk "Woman Priests - the Future Church?" with guest speakers Rev Elizabeth Franz (Lutheran priest) and Carol Walsh (Methodist minister), 27/06/1990; 2 copies of WPA Annual Journal 1990 with official press photograph of President MR on cover; Annual Journal, Dublin Branch 1991; WPA newsletter January 1992; poster for Public Meeting "Do We Need A Women's Political Party?", 22/01/1992; letter from Peg [?] to Bride Rosney, which referenced the 1992 journal for which MR made Presidential contribution, 09/11/1992.

Photocopy of article "Equality, Development and Peace: Needs for the Advancement of Women", Juliette C. McLennan, United States Department of State Bureau of Public Affairs, March 1990; Equality News, EEA [Employment Equality Agency] newsletter 10/1990; report "Equality of Opportunity in the Civil Service 1990", 4th annual report on the implementation of the Equal Opportunity Policy and Guidelines for the Civil Service; reprint order form for Women's Studies International Forum Vol 11 No 2 with Mary Robinson (MR) listed as First Named Author, with cover slip from Ailbhe [Smyth], Department of French, University College Dublin, thanking her for her contribution to the journal, 25/05/199[?]; folder "Charter 88" consisting of flyers, brochures and other material related to the organisation seeking constitutional change in the UK and in Europe, and includes pictorial guide to the Constitutional convention "Towards a Written Constitution", 01-03/11/1991, and paper by Elizabeth Meehan, Queen's University, Belfast for Charter 88 "Women's Rights in Citizens' Europe", 01/11/1991-8/11/1992; CPSU [Civil and Public Service Union] folder, "Working for Equality", of pamphlets on various workers' rights 199[?]; report "The Ruhama Women's Project" 2nd annual report 1991 with cover letter from Sr Jennifer McAleer to President MR and reply from Ann Lane on her behalf, 08-23/03/1992.

Newspaper cuttings related to women, equality and the law, 10/10/1977-25/06/1990.

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).

This file consists of 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 Mary Robinson (MR) was a Trustee. Material includes correspondence between Corcoran to MR, [11?]/1985-13/02/1986; agendas, minutes (08/01/1986, 12/02/1986), press release and briefing file on the Trust.

MR resigns from Board due to concerns over the substantial commitments which the Trust had taken on without, in her view, the "necessary financial resources", and because of her own limited time (13/02/1986).

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

Newspaper cuttings relating to child welfare, 1978-1990

Material in this subsubseries relates to Mary Robinson's work in the area of Divorce Law including legislation. It includes material relating to Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Bill, 1975, and the Family Home Protection Bill, 1976, correspondence on changes to divorce law from those working in a professional capacity and from members of the public, material relating to the divorce referendum held in Ireland 06/1986, and 10th Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1986, and where possible is arranged chronologically.