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Relates to Nic Phaidín's termination from employment at the US Embassy in Dublin, 27/02/1987, and her request to Mary Robinson (MR) in a letter, 10/03/2004, for assistance.

Nic Phaidín alleges she commenced employment at the US Embassy, 09/08/1976 and was dismissed without notice or appropriate compensation on 27/02/1987. In her letter to MR, she states she had attempted to persuade both the US Embassy, and the Minister and Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin to provide an explanation for her dismissal, and that the sole reason given was "security". She also attests that on the day of her dismissal she was questioned at length as to whether she had any links with the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA). Correspondence references her claim that during her employment in the US Embassy, Ballsbridge, she was pinned to a wall and assaulted in 1985. [In 2012 Nic Phaidín lost a High Court case against the Department of Foreign Affairs over her dismissal. Case dismissed as court could do nothing more than express wish that if facts of case were placed before the then US ambassador and embassy officials it would receive proper consideration. Justice Nicholas Kearns noted that the manner of the treatment of Ms Nic Phaidín, who was interrogated before being offered the option of immediate dismissal or resignation from the embassy in Ballsbridge was disgraceful and that “she has felt a burning sense of injustice for many years over the way she was treated by the US embassy. It was a view shared by the Department of Foreign Affairs and I might add it’s a view I hold myself.“]

The file consists of copies of correspondence between Nic Phaidín and Dick Spring 05/08/1998-07/09/1999, between Nic Phaidín and Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, 02/04/2000-08/08/2000, between Nic Phaidín and United States Inspector General and various members of the United States Department of State 18/09/1987-11/05/2001 which also included a print-out of the court decision in a claim she brought before the United States Courts in 1993, between Nic Phaidín and the Embassy of the United States of America (USA) 30/03/1998-01/10/1999, between Nic Phaidín, Ruairí Quinn, Leader of the Labour Party, Raphael V. Siev, Barrister at Law, and friend of Nic Phaidín, and between Quinn and William J. Clinton, President of USA, and His Excellency Michael J Sullivan, Ambassador, Embassy of USA 02/05/2000-27/02/2002, between Nic Phaidín and the Office of the Ombudsman, 29/09/1999-09/11/2000, between Nic Phaidín and the Office of Presidential Correspondence (USA) 31/07/2000-02/01/2001, between Nic Phaidín and Hamid Gaham, Chief, Support Services Branch, United Nations High Commissioner for Human rights 04/09/1998-16/01/2001, between Nic Phaidín and the Human Rights Commission 10/04/2003-15/08/2003, and between Nic Phaidín and the Department of Foreign Affairs 30/03/1998-04/07/2003; letter from Nic Phaidín to Mr. Justice de Valera, the High Court, Dublin 21/07/2003, along with an official duplicate of Plenary Summons between Nic Phaidín, Plaintiff and The Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform, The Garda Commissioner and The Attorney General of Ireland, Plaintiffs, issued on 9/7/2002, stamped 16/06/2003; letter from Nic Phaidín to MR, 10/03/2004.

Nic Phaidín was prolific writer to many she thought could help. Unclear if MR ever got involved.

Material in this subsubseries relates to Mary Robinson's work in the area of family planning legislation and is further subdivided into Family Planning 1970s covering the Family Planning (contraception) Bill and the Health (Family Planning) Bill 1978, the Irish Government's own bill (P143/1/3/1/1), Family Planning 1980s, including material relating to updates to the Family Planning Act, and to the insertion of the 8th amendment, which was inserted in the Irish constitution following a referendum in September 1983 and which by giving the unborn child equal rights to that of the mother, effectively prohibited abortion (P143/1/3/1/2), Family Planning 1990s (P143/1/3/1/3), Parliamentary Debates (P143/1/3/1/4), Government Bills (P143/1/3/1/5), related cuttings (P143/1/3/1/6) and related thesis (P143/1/3/1/7). Material includes correspondence both from those acting in professional capacity and from members of the public, reports, minutes, articles and cuttings.

Material in this file includes correspondence between those working in a professional capacity and includes letter from Garret Fitzgerald, TD [Teachta Dála; member of Irish parliament] to Senator Mary Robinson (MR) referencing upcoming Bill, giving advice on what should be clearly established or included in an amendment to give Bill hope of success and finishing with "The Government must be having kittens! You have really put them on the spot!", 05/03/1971; letter from Joseph O'Malley, Editor, This Week magazine, attaching galley proof of responses to poll conducted by them relating to issues of divorce and contraception and seeking comment from MR, 16/06/1971; correspondence between MR and Dr AEB de Courcy-Wheeler in relation to motion he planned to propose at the Medical Union's AGM instructing its representatives to add their voice to those bodies endeavouring to obtain a repeal of law which prohibited sale of contraceptive devices, 18/06-19/09/1973; correspondence between MR and Joan M Wilson, Irish Family Planning Association in relation to Sub-Committee they were setting up to advise on framing resolution defining the Association's attitude towards abortion, and inviting her to sit on it 21/05-16/07/1973; correspondence between Charles McManus, Secretary, Central Branch, Fine Gael [political party] and MR in relation to meeting to discuss amendment of the laws relating to contraception which she was invited to address but could not attend 28-29/10/1973; copy of letter from MR to Michael Kilroy, Clerk Assistant of the Senate, Seanad Éireann, returning copy of the Family Planning Bill 1973, signed by her, Senator John Horgan and Senator Trevor West, and thanking Kilroy for his work, 29/10/1973; letter to MR from Justin Keating, Minister for Industry and Commerce, stating he would support Bill, 06/11/1973; letter from MR to Jack Lynch, TD which accompanied a copy of the Bill signed by her, West and Horgan and seeking his support, with reply from Lynch promising to examine it, 01-06/11/1973; correspondence between Trevor West and MR relating to amendments to Bill, which switched emphasis away from Minister for Justice and gave Minister for Health powers to regulate, and possibility of alternative Government Bill being presented, 07-12/11/1973; letter from MR to Reverend Dr Ryan, Archbishop of Dublin, which accompanied copy of Bill, and acknowledgement of receipt from his secretary, James Ardle MacMahon, 06-13/11/1973; correspondence between MR and a number of politicians seeking support for the Bill including Mr Cosgrave, Taoiseach [Irish Prime Minister], Senator Alexis Fitzgerald, Michael O'Kennedy, TD, Senator Michael O'Higgins, Brendan Corish, Tánaiste [Irish Deputy Prime Minister], Patrick Cooney, Minister for Justice, and Justin Keating, Minister for Industry and Commerce, 29/10-02/11/1973; letter to MR from James T Lonergan, Irish Family Planning Association, enclosing paper he presented at a public meeting "Amendment of Irish Laws relating to Contraception", 23/11/1973; correspondence between MR and several members of clergy in relation to the Bill including Catherine McGuinness, Assistant Secretary, Dublin Council of Churches (15/12/1971), WT McDowdell, Clerk of the Presbytery, Presbyterian Church in Ireland (06/12/1973), and Father James Good (09-11/12/1973) which referenced that MR was due to give birth before Christmas, Kenneth Milne, Joint Honorary Secretary, The General Synod, Church of Ireland (01-06/02/1974), Rev RR Davey, Director, the Corrymeela Community [composed of individuals (lay and clerical) from all the major Irish Churches] in reference to a motion of support for the Bill (04-06/2/1974), Rev AJ Weir, Presbyterian Church of Ireland, Belfast (04-08/02/1974), Michael C Taylor, Clerk, Dublin Monthly Meeting of Religious Society of Friends (15/02/1974); correspondence between MR and IPPF Europe [International Planned Parenthood Federation Europe Region] in relation to a working group they had invited her to participate in which would discuss a survey of the legal status of contraception, sterilisation and abortion in European countries, and which she had declined due to work commitments, 06/12/1973-26/02/1974; correspondence between MR and Noel Reilly, Secretary, Irish Medical Association (IMA), and David Nowlan, Medical Correspondence, The Irish Times in relation to resolution passed by IMA 22-29/01/1974; correspondence between Dr Michael Solomons and MR including papers he wrote on Family Planning 04/12/1973-21/10/1974; correspondence between Robert Cochran, Secretary, Family Planning Services, Dublin 2, and MR 05-31/01/1974 in relation to amendments he was suggesting to the Family Planning Bill, 1973; letter from Senator Alexis Fitzgerald to MR asking for copy of statement MR made dealing with criticism of the Bill, and asking for her views on the Civil Rights aspect, 05-08/02/1974; correspondence between MR and Phyllis T Piotrow, Editor, the Victor-Bostrom Fund Committee, 10/01-05/03/1974, relating to MR's work on contraception legalisation and reports from the Committee; correspondence between MR and Edgar M Deale, Honorary Secretary, Irish Association of Civil Liberty, 19/02-06/03/1974 relating to statement Association made on family planning which referenced the Bill; copy of letter sent by MR to Editor of Irish Times, commenting on delay of Minister for Justice in introducing Government Bill on Family Planning, she says "The credibility gap yawns: so, too do we all", 14/03/1974; letter from Senator Trevor West to MR commenting on Government's Bill which was as they suspected and restricted sale of contraceptives to married couples via pharmacies, 22/03/1974; letters from David Andrews, TD and Seán O'Brien, Secretary for Richard Burke, TD, Minister for Education, acknowledging receipt of copy of Family Planning Bill, 1974, 03-09/12/1974; correspondence between MR and Dr Eimer Bowman relating to paper Bowman delivered at the Annual Conference of the Psychological Society of Ireland, a copy of which she enclosed, "The Sexual Behaviour and Contraceptive Practice of Young People", 04-09/12/1975

General reports, brochures, newsletters and booklets including "The Regulation of Birth" - Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI "Humanae Vita", London Catholic Truth Society, 1968, booklet "Anglican Reflections on Humanae Vitae, by Norman RC Dockeray, July 1970, and two copies of booklet "Facing Up to 'Humanae Vitae', by a Catholic Mother, 1971; "The Pill Compendium for 1970"; YLM bulletin, 03/1971; flyer "Catholics and Family Planning", 197[?]; flyer for Christus Rex 1971 congress, Bundoran, 12-15/04/1971 "The Family To-day"; booklet "The Ovulation Method of Natural Family Planning", compiled by Ovulation Method Advisory Service, Cork, 197[?]; booklet "Irish Family Planning Rights Association News No ", [1971?]; booklet "Planning With Discretion - a simple guide to conception control", Syntex Information Service, Maidenhead, England, 09/1972; pamphlet "The Reasons Why Married Sexuality Past History Present Problem", Patrick A Baggot, SJ [Society of Jesus, Jesuit], 11/1972; abstract of Dr Michael Solomons' paper "Dublin's first Family Planning Clinic", London 1971, published Basel 1972, with cover note from Solomons to Mary Robinson (MR); article by Michael Heneghan "Family Planning Bill, and Contraception", sent to all TDs [Teachta Dála, member of Dáil Éireann, lower house of Irish parliament] and Senators, 21/11/1973; report from International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Europe - Region "A Survey of the legal status of contraception, sterilisation and abortion in European Countries, and correspondence between MR and Julian Heddy, Information & Education Section 06/1973-14/10/1974; booklet "Marriage morality: where do we stand?", Patrick A Baggot, SJ, 11/1973; Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) Annual Report 1973; cover letter from Mrs RM Blackith, honorary Secretary, Irish Conservation Society enclosing booklet "Has Ireland A Population Problem", published by the society in 1973, and a flyer for The World Population exhibition "What is the future for Ireland's children?", 04-26/01/1974; material from The Irish Family League including booklet "Is Contraception the Answer?" (11/1973), flyer "Contraception and Abortion The Irish Humanist Objective", booklet "Contraception and the Irish Constitution" by Maurice Dooley, booklet/pamphlet "Alert Oral Contraceptive", and open letter "To The Taoiseach, Members of the Government, Deputies and Senators"197[3-4?]; document "A Question of Perspective - notes by Catholic parents, past and present Committee members of the Irish Family Planning Association (formerly the Fertility Guidance Company) on the Irish Family League pamphlet" and booklet "Facts on Contraception An Answer to ‘The Irish Family League’", 1974 and two copies pf "Advice on Birth Control" Welfare Committee report 197[0-2?]; photocopy of "The Law as it Affects Family Planning in England and Wales", 197[?]; The Victor-Bostrom fund for the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) reports No 15 "The United Nations Faces the Population Crisis", Winter 1971-72, and No 18 "Family Planning: Improving Opportunities for Women", Spring 1974; IFPA Annual report 1974; IPPF Europe Regional Information Bulletins 09/1973-10/1979.

Seanad Éireann Parliamentary Debates Official Reports, which included discussion on various family planning legislation, some with notation: 07/07/1971, 20/02/1974, 21/02/1974, 27/03/1974, 17/12/1974, 16/12/1976, 09/02/1977, 05/05/1977, 03/07/1979, 04/07/1979, 11/07/1979, 12/07/1979, 17/07/1979.

Material in this file consists of copies and drafts of various family planning bills, and explanatory memorandums including Health (Family Planning) Act 1979, commencement Order 1980, Health (Family Planning) Regulations 1980, Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1982, Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Bill 1985 and Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Bill 1991.

Material in this file consists of copies and photocopies of addresses, itineraries, seminar papers and other material relating to events. It includes material related to several WPA [Women's Political Association] events including text of speech given by Barry Desmond TD [Teachta Dála, member of Dáil Éireann, lower house of Irish parliament] at meeting, Liberty Hall, Dublin, 24/04/1974, correspondence and programmes for WPA seminar 10/12/1977 and invite to WPA press reception 25/04/1979; address by Mary Robinson (MR), "Women in Public Life", at UCD [University College Dublin] Women's Association, 09/11/197[?]; contribution by MR "Economic and Social Planning: Where do Women Fit In?", at seminar organised by Council For Status of Women, Dublin, 15/11/1977; address by MR, "Sex Discrimination in Pension Schemes", to Irish Association of Pension funds, 10/12/1979; address by Petra Karin Kelly, Economic and Social Committee, "Women in Europe", and list of delegates, Women's Advisory Committee seminar, "Anti-Discrimination Legislation", Galway, 17-19/10/1975; background paper submitted by Norwegian Authorities to 14th conference of European Ministers Responsible for Family Affairs, 06/11/1974; paper "Role and Status of the Rural Woman", DJ O'Driscoll, 197[?]; working paper presented by Mr Sven Aspling, Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden, at the European Conference of Ministers of Family affairs, Oslo, 16-18/09/1975; "Women and the European Community", summary of contributions by those attending symposium 12,13/03/1976, Brussels.

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.

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.

Material relating to the Youth Forum of the European Communities event "Hearing on Employment of Young Women", Brussels, 02-04/12/1980, at which Mary Robinson (MR) agreed to participate, including circular relating to preparations ahead of the hearing, 19-22/09/1980; correspondence from Gilbert Véron, Secretary General of the Youth Forum to MR re arrangements 13/11/1980; programme for the event in English and photocopy of bilingual programme in French and English; conclusions (report) of the event; booklet about the Youth Forum, 08/1979; European Communities European Parliament Working Documents (1979-1980) report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Social Affairs, employment and Education on the activities of the European Youth Forum, 07/05/1979; Youth Forum General Assembly 22-24/11/1979, report of activities 1979; research material relating to AnCo [An Comhairle Oiliúna (the Industrial Training Authority)]'s training programmes and schemes for girls and women, 11/1980; proceedings of 5th annual conference of Sociological Association of Ireland article on "The Economic Dependence of Women in Ireland", Joy Rudd, 7-9/04/1979.