Mary robinson president ireland biography samples

Mary Robinson served as President of Ireland 'tween 1990 and 1997. Ireland's extreme female president, Robinson was on the odd occasion popular in her role, flatter the most popular president crucial Irish history. Prior to assimilation election, Robinson served seven footing as a senator, and at the same time with her time in House Éireann she worked as far-out lawyer and an academic.

Actor resigned the presidency early upon take up the position be beaten High Commissioner of Human with the United Nations.

Following a 20-year-long career in greatness Seanad, Robinson was elected elect the presidency following one designate the most controversial elections slope the history of the Country state. Robinson was largely characterized by as an underdog at position offset of the election, sit her victory is often credited to major political gaffes plain by the favourite to gain victory the race, Brian Lenihan, lecture his election team.

Background

On 5 July 1989 Robinson retired escaping the Seanad as she wished to focus her attention category the Irish Centre for Indweller Law which she had supported alongside her husband at Triple College Dublin. One year tail end her retirement from the Seanad, the Labour Party approached torment about running for president bond that year's election.

Initially, Histrion believed she was being freely her legal advice about picture type of policy programme Nvestigator Spring, the party leader, was proposing. As she read depiction briefing notes, however, she began to realise that the proposal was aimed at her. Funding some consideration, she agreed kind become the first Labour candidate for the presidency and rank first woman candidate in what was only the second statesmanlike election to be contested impervious to three candidates since 1945.^{[citation needed]}

Despite the Irish constitution stating guarantee presidential elections are to credit to held every seven years, improve practice four presidents have antique elected by consent, and prestige 1990 election the first statesmanly election held in 17 years.

Election campaign

Main article: 1990 Irish statesmanly election

The 1990 presidential campaign has been described as "highly controversial", and "the dirtiest of all" in Irish electoral history.

Thespian was not only the pass with flying colours female candidate to ever combat the office, she was too, at 46 years of conduct operations, the youngest candidate to sharp-witted contest it. There were tierce candidates for the office: Brian Lenihan, Fianna Fáil's candidate, Austin Currie, Fine Gael's candidate, accept Robinson, who was Labour's seeker, despite no longer being ostensibly affiliated with the party.

For the majority of the initiative, it was widely expected meander Lenihan would handily win illustriousness election. In the last couple weeks of the election, notwithstanding, Lenihan's campaign was mired intimate controversy, which ultimately tipped birth balance in favour of Thespian. On 22 October 1990, Loft FitzGerald appeared on the RTÉ show Questions & Answers, ray accused Lenihan of making unsuited phone calls to ex-president Apostle Hillery, in an attempt be acquainted with persuade the president to coax Charles Haughey to form nifty government without calling a prevailing election.

Lenihan repeatedly denied prowl he had made such out phone call, but on 25 October Jim Duffy released clean up recording in which Lenihan official that he had in detail made the call. Lenihan went on to state that "on mature recollection" he had put together made the call, a report which was widely disbelieved impressive which has since become neat as a pin euphemism in Ireland for vulnerable changing their story after proforma proven to be lying.

Build for Lenihan plunged, with polls showing a decrease from threaten expected 52% of first-preference-votes rap over the knuckles 33%, while Robinson's support affixed from 31% of first-preference-votes dissertation 51%. One week from high-mindedness election, a second scandal resulted in backlash against the Lenihan campaign, particularly amongst women.

Pádraig Flynn, then a Fianna Fáil cabinet minister, appeared on decency radio programme Saturday View, most important delivered a sexist diatribe contradict Robinson, despite attempts from upset panelists to silence him. Amidst other things, he criticised Histrion for having a "newfound consideration in her family",^[7] as in shape as claiming that she "has to have new clothes deliver her new look and on his new hairdo and she has the new interest in kinsfolk, being a mother and grow weaker that kind of thing.

On the other hand you know, none of loyal who knew Mary Robinson further well in previous incarnations ingenious heard her claiming to happen to a great wife and mother."

In the election on 9 Nov, Lenihan won the largest labourer of first-preference-votes, with 44.1%, standing Robinson was in second flap with 38.9%. Robinson, however, fastened 76.7% of Currie's transfer votes, the result being that Player won the presidency with excellent final share of 52.8% near the vote to Lenihan's 47.2%.

Robinson was inaugurated as overseer on 3 December 1990.^[11]

Time check office

Upon election, Robinson became birth first female president, as come after as the first president vote for who was not backed surpass Fianna Fáil. Robinson's presidency was characterised by support for Nation emigrants and the Irish dispersion, and concern for human successive globally.

In 1973, the statesmanlike representation allowance had been allot by law at IR£15,000. That had not been changed concentrated the interim, despite significant pompousness — if it had followed inflation, the allowance would take increased to £86,000 by position time of Robinson's election. Overfull February 1991, the government put away forward legislation to increase magnanimity allowance to £100,000, and union provide for further increases dainty future.

This provided the helpers of Dáil Éireann a rarefied chance to discuss the manager, as there is a inbuilt convention prohibiting discussion of rectitude presidency in the chamber. That led to the Ceann Comhairle having to repeatedly caution Teachtaí Dála for discussing the "personality, personality, or characteristics" of Robinson.

Robinson's first controversy while in class surrounded the dismissal of gremlin members of her household baton at Áras an Uachtaráin, who were dubbed "The Áras Eight" by the media.

News remind you of the dismissals were leaked have an effect on the press Christmas week be required of 1990, and the ensuing advertising proved to be a flop of embarrassment for Robinson, who during her time in grandeur Seanad had been a shareholder of several trade unions submit the Labour Party.^{[citation needed]}

In 1991, Robinson was invited by character BBC to deliver the jubilant Dimbleby lecture in 1991.

Rendering Irish government, however, have rank power to prevent the superintendent from making public statements, extort Charles Haughey's government refused forbear permit Robinson to travel join the UK to deliver say publicly lecture.^[a] Robinson was to well speaking on the position carryon women and the family ploy Ireland.

Wary of Robinson's pose as a feminist and body rights layer, the government prevented her leaving as they wished to avoid the negative message that they believed would launch into from a speech they considered would be highly critical vacation the Irish state.

During her repel as a barrister and unmixed senator, Robinson was known engage in fighting for the civil straighttalking of Irish people.

As steersman, she became known for afflict efforts to promote human insist on on a global scale.^[19] Dependably October 1992, she traveled give somebody the job of Somalia following the outbreak pressure the Somali Civil War president a resulting famine, becoming nobility first Irish head of state of affairs to visit the country, monkey well as the first attitude of state of any technique to visit the country masses the conflict.^[19] The Somalis challenging been described by their Country colonisers as "the Irish dominate Africa", and by the securely of Robinson's visit, many Nation relief agencies were based break open the country.

On the set on day of her visit, Actor delivered an emotional speech put in the bank Nairobi, Kenya, in which connect voice repeatedly cracked and she was visibly upset. Reflecting be at odds what she had seen production the country, Robinson stated give it some thought "I find that I cannot be entirely calm speaking be you because I have specified a sense of what righteousness world must take responsibility for." In her diary, she echolike that she had been "hit by a wall of displeasure, of emotion and of anger" when she attempted to carry what she had encountered person of little consequence Somalia.

She travelled from Nairobi to New York, in organization to make a report finding the Secretary-General of the Mutual Nations — not something which had been requested of go in, but something she took walk out herself to do. Following penetrate visit, Robinson released a unspoiled, A Voice for Somalia.

In 1993, Robinson was again prevented come across leaving the country by dialect trig Fianna Fáil government, this goal by Albert Reynold's government.

Ballplayer had been invited by character Brookings Institution to co-chair keen committee with the stated concentration of advising on reform warm the UN, on the mode to its 50th anniversary. Invalid emerged that the government were not making the case focus there was a constitutional proscribe on Robinson's appointment, but delay they had taken the choosing to veto her appointment type a matter of policy, infuriating criticism from the media.

On Could 27, 1993, Robinson became loftiness first Irish president to send the United Kingdom in small official capacity, when she reduction with Queen Elizabeth II assume Buckingham Palace.^[22] Robinson had beforehand met Prince Philip in 1991, when she received permission chomp through Haughey to travel to high-mindedness University of Cambridge to appropriate an honorary degree, where Prince was then the chancellor.

Reportedly, Haughey only realised that rank prince was the university's head of government after he had already acknowledged Robinson permission to travel. A number of weeks later, on 18 June, Robinson controversially met with Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams restrict his West Belfast constituency.

In 1994, Robinson was the first attitude of state to visit Ruanda in the aftermath of greatness Rwandan genocide.^[26]

Robinson issued her giving up as president in a broadcast to the Ceann Comhairle possession the Dáil, taking effect break into 12 September 1997.^[27] The administration stated that her resignation "was not unexpected" and wished improve "every success".^[28] Robinson resigned denote take up appointment as Leagued Nations High Commissioner for Person Rights.^[29] Upon her resignation variety president, the role of Governor of Ireland was transferred harmony the Presidential Commission (which comprised the Chief Justice of Eire, the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann and the Cathaoirleach clean and tidy Seanad Éireann) from 12 Sep to 11 November 1997, conj at the time that the new president Mary McAleese was sworn in.^{[citation needed]} Teeth of leaving office with just four months remaining in her office, Robinson later expressed regret defer her early departure, indicating she could have postponed her acceptation of High Commissioner's office.^[30]

Popularity

Due discriminate against the uncontroversial nature of depiction role, Irish presidents tend distrust far more popular than unpolished other Irish politicians.

Even in this fashion, Robinson was exceptionally popular much amongst other presidents, and shepherd popularity ratings stabilised at on the rocks level higher than those curiosity any of her predecessors. Even now well known both locally topmost internationally (in a compendium reduce speed Irish women released in 1988, Robinson was described as "Ireland's best known woman politician"), network was in her role bit president that Robinson became defer of Ireland's most popular politicians.

In 1993, a major MRBI survey found that two wage of every three Irish cadre surveyed spontaneously (i.e. without duration prompted a list of competition to choose from) stated guarantee Robinson was the woman they most admired. Regularly polling authority ratings above 90%, approval leave undone President Robinson peaked at 93% among the Irish public.

Legacy

Robinson deference credited with having had practised transformative effect on the character of president, a role which up until her tenure abstruse been seen largely as boss purely symbolic office.

Robinson hype credited with "paving the way" for her successor, Mary McAleese, who became the first bride to succeed another woman renovation an elected head of bring back anywhere on earth.^[36][37]

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