Council of Europe European Commission of Human Rights Application No. 9697/82 R, Johnston and others against Ireland, Report of the commission (adopted on 5 March 1985); notes and some correspondence which names child.

[Archivist's note: This case is both contemporary and sensitive in nature and some material in this file is therefore partially restricted. Please consult archivist to enquire about access to restricted material.]

Copy of documents lodged by the Irish Government at ECHR (Equity Civil Bill case of Kathleen O'Brien v Alan Laffan, Dublin Circuit Court, 1985; photocopy of transcript of oral hearings before ECHR, morning and afternoon of 24/06/1986.

[Archivist's note: This case is both contemporary and sensitive in nature and some material in this file is therefore partially restricted. Please consult archivist to enquire about access to restricted material.]

Report on research essay Kevin Tuohy carried out on the Irish Gay Rights Movement (IGRM), for which DN was chair, as part of his B.A. examination in Maynooth College, and which is marked confidential, 02/01/1976.

Folder labelled "The Supreme Court David Norris and The Attorney General Book of Appeal…". File consists of material relating to appeal to Supreme Court and includes draft submissions and photocopies including photocopy of David Norris (DN) and Attorney General Defence of the Defence delivered at High Court, 14/11/1979, by Chief State Solicitor Louis Dockery; copy of typed document on United States Constitution and case Law; photocopy of High Court judgement in David Norris v Attorney General, [10/10/1980]; typed copy of submission on behalf of DN [High Court, 1980?]; typed index of Irish and US cases [submitted in court?]; typed submission to Supreme Court on behalf of Plaintiff (DN), with notations; photocopies of documents submitted to Supreme Court including index and copies of Plenary Summons, Statement of Claim, Notice for Particulars, Reply to Notice for Particulars, Defence, Judgement of Mr Justice McWilliam, Order of Mr Justice McWilliam and Notice of Appeal, June 1980.

This file consists of correspondence, and copies of same for 1989, 1990. It includes typed letter from Isabelle R. Gunning, Acting Professor of Law, University of California, Los Angeles, United States of America, requesting copy of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgement in David Norris case, 17/02/1989; correspondence between Mary Robinson (MR), John Jay, solicitor, at Herman Good, Wine Stokes & Jay, the Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe, and HC Kruger, Secretary to European Commission of Human Rights in relation to request Committee supervise execution of ECHR judgement delivered on 26/10/1988, due to Government's inaction 31/10/1989-30/01/1990; letter from Gerry Stone, UCD [University College Dublin] Gay and Lesbian Society c/o Welfare Office, Students' Union, to MR in relation to their ongoing campaign to achieve recognition from the College authorities for their society, which MR has marked "File in Norris Case", 22/01/1990.

This subsubsubseries relates to a separate case: David Norris v Seán Doherty (Ceann Comhairle [speaker of lower house of Irish parliament]) and 11 others (members of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges (CPP)) and Seanad Éireann.

In early 1990, Dublin University member David Norris while seeking to amend the order of business in the Seanad [Irish Upper House of Parliament] alleged that Senator Seán Doherty, Ceann Comhairle [Chair of the Seanad] was involved in having the composition of a delegation to Nicaragua for the election changed to exclude the National University Senator John A Murphy (who was to represent the small group of independents in the Seanad) but allowing one Fianna Fáil and one Fine Gael representative. Norris was later charged with breach of privilege by the CPP and was to be suspended from Seanad Eireann for one week. Doherty himself presided over the CPP which investigated Norris, although the allegations Norris made related to Doherty, and the CPP refused Norris permission to have legal representation present, or to bring witnesses. Norris took case to High Court which quashed the report the CPP issued following their investigation and quashed his suspension and gave permission for Norris to apply for a Judicial Review.

Later it emerged that Mr Doherty had withheld from the Seanad CPP legal advice that he should not have presided over the hearing of Mr Norris's allegation, and it transpired the allegations had foundation. Despite an agreement between parties which included Norris having legal costs paid by Doherty, it appears an investigation into Doherty's actions subsequently took place.

This file consists of handwritten case notes, research documents and background material relating to the case including extract of standing orders, extract of rules, procedures and privileges of Houses of the Oireachtas and documents relating to the Wireless Dealers Association v Minister for Industry and Commerce and Attorney General (1956?) as it related to bills being submitted to the Seanad.

Material in this file relates to Bray Urban District Council (UDC) v Connors and Others, which was subsequently appealed at the High Court and which led to a joint case being taken to the European Commission (Williams and others) and covers the period 04/04/1979-29/11/1981. It includes correspondence between Bryan Curtin, O'Neill & Curtin Solicitors and Mary Robinson (MR), Senior Counsel, 15/12/1980-23/11/1981; handwritten case notes; copies of legal papers including letter most likely submitted in evidence from Elizabeth Currums, Secretary, Fassaroe Park Tenants and Residents Association to Aidan Murphy Town Hall, objecting to "Itinerant families...being moved in to houses at Fassaroe Park from the nearby field where they (were) camped", 04/04/1979, copy of Notice Requiring Abatement of Nuisance from Bray Urban District Council served to Mrs Williams on 25/09/1980 and signed by J Murphy swearing they served on that date, 17/10/1980, copy of The Circuit Court, Eastern Circuit, County of Wicklow Equity Civil Bill between Bray UDC and O'Connors and others, 21/11/1980 and photocopy of official Court Order, Eastern Circuit, 03/02/1981; High Court on Circuit list of appeals for hearing before Justice Ellis, 18-20/03/1981, including Bray UDC v Connors & Others; letter from Sr Colette Dwyer, National Council for Travelling People to MR re possibility of taking case to Council of Europe Commission of Human Rights, and which sympathises with MR losing recent Dáil election hoping it wasn't due to her "championship of their cause" 18/06/1981; typed draft of telex from O'Neill & Curtin solicitors to Dr HC Kruger, Secretary to European Commission of Human Rights "The Joint Petition of the following families of travellers...".

[Archivist's note: This case is both contemporary and sensitive in nature and some material in this file is therefore restricted. Please consult archivist to enquire about access to restricted material.]

Material in this file relates to case of Bernard and Ann Muckley v Ireland and includes correspondence between Mary Robinson (MR) as Senior Counsel and Brian Rigney, solicitor, 30/03/1981-25/10/1988, including in relation to fees; typed letter from Terry Ohle to MR in relation to a tax liability the Ohles owed and inquiring if there was a High Court Case pending that might assist 19/02/1981; correspondence from several couples to MR looking for assistance in relation to their taxes or wishing to be considered for test case 20/10/1981-10/01/1983; draft questionnaire sent out by Rigney to all couples in Married Couples Tax Association (MCTA) and related correspondence 11-15/12/1981; copies of typed letters from Brian Leonard to Rigney giving tax advice to be passed to the couples of MTCA, updating Rigney on two Tax cases involving Revenue Commissioners that were being adjourned on appeal and suggesting one (Muckley) could be used as test case 06/04/1982; photocopy of letter from Louis J Dockery, Chief State Solicitor to Rigney 31/05/1984; handwritten notes and background information and calculations on Finance Act and tax implications.

This file contains material which should remain closed and includes tax returns for the Muckley and Murphy couples over several years.