In December 1982, it emerged that the telephones of Geraldine Kennedy, journalist, and Bruce Arnold, journalist and political correspondent were being tapped with officially signed warrants signed by then Minister for Justice, Seán Doherty ostensibly to establish the source of cabinet leaks though largely to gain advance knowledge of possible challenges to then Taoiseach [Prime Minister] Charles Haughey's leadership of Fianna Fáil. This was revealed following a change of government as a result of the November general election. Kennedy and Arnold, along with his wife Mavis, sued the State for breach of privacy and were each awarded £20,000 with Mavis, whose private chats with friends was also recorded, receiving £10,000. A decade later, in 1992, the revelation that Haughey knew about the tapping and had seen transcripts led to his eventual resignation as then Taoiseach and from the party.

This legal action succeeded in breaking important new ground on the constitutional right to privacy and curbing a politically motivated abuse of State power.

Mary Robinson worked as one of two Senior Counsel, and material is arranged across four files.

[Archivist's note: This case is both contemporary and sensitive in nature and material in some files is therefore closed.]

File includes records relating to the case of Orr Vs United Kingdom. Records include the application of made by Orr and on his behalf by his legal team, D.N. O'Baol, S.C., H. Hannum, Attorney and Kevin Boyle, Barrister at Law. Orr's claim was based on his

File includes material relating to G.B. Shaw. Includes letters from Etienne Rynne to Sotheby's Auction House, London, enquiring about some post-cards written from Shaw to Professor E.M. Butler, discussing the bust of Shaw created by Auguste Rodin, on which Rynne is researching. Also includes postcard image of a bust of Shaw; an original catalogue for the Auguste Rodin Exhibition of Sculpture and Drawings, (1962), and which carries a foreword by Shaw.

Three geological maps and charts of Connemara, with cross sections of various rocks to be found. Put together by the Geology Department in the University of Glasgow.

Typed script for short play by Enda Walsh, produced as part of Galway Arts Festival Druid Series.

Manuscript text of "Gentian Time" by Mary Rynne. Labeled as "A Radio Play." All pages either have been ripped from a notepad or are still attached to one. Two paperclipped sections and one single page are labelled Scene I (11pp), Scene II (1pp), and Scene III (9pp plus 3 blank pages). There are then three notepads, the first of which is a re-write of Scene I (20pp - the rest of the pad is blank); the second is a rewrite of Scene II (19pp - the rest of the pad is blank); and the third only contains 3 pages of manuscript, labelled as pages 25 through 27 (but these do not follow directly from any of the other scenes).

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.

File of documents relating to interests and research into Human Rights and environment by Boyle, includes edition of The Guardian Weekend Magazine, "Top 50 Green Heroes" (5 Jan 2008); copy of material from "Human Rights in the 21st Century: A Global Chall

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.

Material in this file consists of correspondence from people in their professional capacity to Mary Robinson (MR) in relation to her work on family planning legislation and is both supportive and negative. It includes photocopy of letter from Michael Murphy, Department of the Public Service (Government) to Eddie Higgins, Branch Secretary, Federated Workers Union of Ireland in relation to the provision of cover for illegitimate children under the Public Service Spouse's and Children's Pension Schemes, 03/11/1981, which was forwarded to MR by Janet Hughes; typed letter from Louis Owens, Education Officer, Family Solidarity, Dublin South East to MR in relation to concerns about two aspects of Government policy and legislation being discussed "The Desmond Contraceptive" and "Sex Education in Irish Schools", 198[1/2?]; circular from "Access For All - a National Network of all those opposed to the Act" in relation to a steering committee being established consisting of "people representing political organisations, clinics, women’s' groups and individuals, opposed to the Family Planning Act", 19/9/198[1/2?]; correspondence between Robert Smith & Company solicitors, and MR in relation to £50 which was left in a will and which was to be left to an organisation nominated by MR (Irish Family Planning Association), as per clause in the will, 04/08-19/11/1982; cover letter from Margaret Walsh, Chairwoman, Council for the Status of Women, and press release reiterating the council's position on the subject of contraception, 09-19/01/1984; typed letter to MR (and other elected politicians) from group of members of medical profession expressing concern at proposals to make sale of contraception freely available, 23/10/1984; letter from May O'Brien, Women's Affairs Official, Irish Transport and General Workers' Union, to all Senators and TDs [Teachta Dála, member of Dáil Éireann, lower house of Irish parliament], in relation to submissions the Irish Congress of Trade Unions had made for new legislation to replace the Family Planning Act 1979, 17/12/1984; flyer from Children's Protection Society in relation to proposals in 1985 Bill to allow sale of contraceptives to singles, with cover note 18/02/1985; declaration "In Support of the right to Access To Information" from Defend the Clinics Campaign, and cover letter from Mary Gordan and Helen Mahony, following the Hamilton judgement which forced "Open Line" to close and the Wellwoman Clinic to cease its non-directive pregnancy counselling service, 06/05/1987, with follow-up requesting her to be a signatory, 19/08/1987.