Finding aid databases

Letter to the Private Secretary to the Minister for Finance, from P O'Cinneide, Department of the Taoiseach, 2 February 1939, informing him that the Government have decided that an Inter-Departmental Committee should be set up to examine the establishment of a new Department of State for the administration of Social Services, for example, 'Unemployment Insurance and Widows' and Orphans Pensions'.

s 11109A

letter

Pamphlet issued by the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, 5 March 1943, containing papers which were given at a symposium on the subject of Irish Social Services. EJ Coyne in his paper entitled 'The Ethical Aspect', examines the moral issues surrounding the formation of a welfare state. Amongst other topics, he refers to the voluntary work undertaken by women. 'I think we should be foolish to hail any plans or schemes too cordially which involve the destruction of say, the Vincent de Paul work, the Sick and Indigent Roomkeepers' Society, the thousands, literally thousands, of ladies who devote their money, their full time, their cultured kindliness, their trained skill to the work of nursing, visiting the poor, blind asylums, mental homes, orphanages and the rest'. John Collins outlines the scheme of public assistance in Ireland. He illustrates his paper with tables, for example, Table V on page 8 gives statistics in relation to medical dispensaries. 'The number of nurses and midwives employed in medical dispensaries is given as 646'. Catherine O'Brien, MB, gave a paper at the symposium entitled 'Irish Medical Services'. In it, she referred to maternity and child welfare, the school medical service, tuberculosis, venereal disease, curative medicine and district nurses. 'There were 146 approved maternity and child welfare schemes in operation in Eire in 1940, mostly in the cities and towns. Only thirty of these were administered by local authorities; the balance were run by voluntary agencies ... Boarding out agencies provide foster mothers for children of deserted, widowed or unmarried mothers. 2381 cases were sent in 1940'. She also outlines the administration of the District Nurse Scheme in Ireland. 'Since 1889, 223 trained nurses serve 195 districts in Ireland. They look after those sick people in their own homes who cannot employ a private nurse'.

s 11109A

pamphlet

Memorandum on the administration of National Health Insurance and Widows' and Orphans' Pensions, 1 December 1943, issued by the Department of Local Government and Public Health. The memorandum lists the staff at the Department who are engaged in the administration of both schemes. '10 Shorthand Typists and Typists are employed on the administration of National Health Insurance'.

s 11109A

memorandum

Pamphlet entitled 'Social Security: Outlines of a Scheme of National Health Insurance' by Rev John Dignan, Bishop of Clonfert, 11 October 1944. Amongst other topics, he discusses nursing organisations; public assistance; the dispensary system; district medical officers and maternity benefits. 'As it is advisable that women should abstain from work for eight weeks before confinement and for six weeks afterwards, insured members should receive weekly a sum equal to sickness benefit for these fourteen weeks. Non insured wives of insured members would receive a lump sum to vary with wage group of husband'.

s 11109A

pamphlet

Manual entitled 'The New Irish Constitution: The Citizen's Manual', 1938. The front page states that the manual is a simple guide to the new Constitution and that it was written by a member of the Bar [Micheal O'Griobhtha]. The manual includes a series of questions and answers relating to the articles of the Constitution. Page 8 of the manual refers to citizenship, for example, 'marriage does not of itself alter citizenship of either spouse. There are special provisions for the children of foreign diplomatic and consular persons, for resumption of citizenship by a widow, and for the wives and children of naturalised citizens whose naturalisation is revoked'. Article 41 of the new Constitution refers to the status of women. 'The State recognises that woman, by her life within the home, gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved; the State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home'.

s 11113

Manual

Letter from the American Committee on Africa, New York, USA, to the Taoiseach, Eamon de Valera, 15 August 1957, protesting against the organised inhumanity of the Government of the Union of South Africa. 'We have watched with great concern the relentless pursuit of official racism, apartheid, by the South African Government ... Our concern has turned to horror as we have learned of the brutal treatment of these non-white South Africans and the extension of totalitarian control into almost every area of human life'. The letter requests his support of the enclosed Declaration of Conscience. It is signed by Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt, International Chairman, and Martin Luther King, US Vice-Chairman. Several women are also listed as members of the National Committee, for example, 'Jane Bolin, Mrs Chester Bowles, Dorothy Dunbar Bromley, Marguerite Cartwright'.

s 11115A

letter

Hand-written note from the Department of the Taoiseach, 23 August 1957, in reference to a letter which was sent to the Taoiseach by Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt. The letter requested his support for the American Committee on Africa. The note states that the Taoiseach favours a cautious response to her letter.

s 11115A

note

Copy letter from M O'Muimhneachain to Sean Murphy, Secretary, Department of External Affairs, 24 August 1957, regarding a letter which the Taoiseach received from Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt on the subject of the South African policy of apartheid. Her letter requested him to sign a card agreeing to participate in a day of protest against the policies of the South African Government. The letter states that the Taoiseach is considering the nature of the reply he should send to this letter.

s 11115A

letter

Letter from the Department of External Affairs to M Moynihan, Department of the Taoiseach, 6 September 1957, regarding a letter addressed to the Taoiseach by Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt on the South African policy of apartheid. This letter gives the wording for a suitable response to her request for support. 'This country has registered its disapproval of the apartheid policies of the Government of South Africa in the last session of the General Assembly of the United Nations and will continue to maintain that position in the United Nations. The Taoiseach feels however that a campaign to organise a Day of Protest is not necessarily the best way to achieve the abolition of these policies'.

s 11115A

letter

Draft letter to Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt, International Chairman, Sponsoring Committee for Declaration of Conscience in South Africa, New York, USA, unsigned, 1957, acknowledging receipt of her letter regarding a proposed protest campaign against the apartheid policies of the Government of the Union of South Africa. 'As a result of my consideration of the matter, I feel convinced that a world-wide campaign to organise a Day of Protest against these apartheid policies is not the best way to achieve their abolition and that any further action ought to be taken within the framework of the United Nations'.

s 11115A

letter