Diarmaid L. Fawsitt Archive Section 1 Desc. List.

Descriptive List of the Personal Archive of Diarmaid L. Fawsitt

PR81/1/6 Legal Career (1928 – 1956)

Reference: PR81/1/6/E/010 Date: 1944 Title: Judge’s Note Book ‘Navan 2’ Level: item

many of the claims documented here also occur in the next sub-series occurring in this collection: PR81/1/6/E/13. General records have been placed at the front of the file. Includes (9 May 1942) letter from the Department inviting Fawsitt to meet the minister to discuss undertaking duties under the new order; copies of the order; printed Summary of Guidance for Employers and Employees re Salaries and Wages; letter from Fawsitt to the Department (15 October 1942) regarding payment. (13 items) Records relating to specific claims follow. These include Moy Salmon Fisheries in Ballina, and many businesses in Dublin, Cork and Limerick. (c250 items) A small bundle of workers’ rules for various industries has been placed next. Includes Docks and Riverside Work at Cork; Irish National Union of Woodworkers, Amalgamated Slaters and Tilers (Dublin), House and Ship Painters (Dublin), Brick and Stonelayers’ Trade Union (Dublin), Irish National Painters’ and Decorators’ Union (Dublin). (7 items) At the back of the file are rough notes and some printed matter not placed with specific claims. [c50 items]

Extent: 1 vol (96pp)

Scope and Content: Hardbound note book labelled ‘Judge’s Note Book’ with ms note added stating ‘Navan 2’. The book contains rough ms notes on cases. Case names, legal representatives, and notes by date or witness are recorded. Full dates are not always noted but the volume seems to cover 1944.

Reference: PR81/1/6/E/011 Date: 25 February - 5 May 1944 Title: Law Society and Navan Court Incident Level: file Extent: 7 items Scope and Content:

Small file containing correspondence initiated by the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland following a report in the Meath Chronicle of an incident during a sitting of Navan Circuit Court in February 1944, in which Fawsitt is claimed to have remarked that a solicitor had prompted a witness and, thereafter, to have refused to hear from the solicitor, who wished to be heard on the matter. Includes the following: 1 . Letter from Evie Plunkett, Secretary, Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, to Judge Fawsitt, regarding the incident, noting ‘the issues involved are clearly of very considerable importance to the Solicitors’ Profession’. (23 February 1944) [envelope present with Fawsitt’s Dublin address replaced with Talbot Hotel, Wexford. 2 and a half pence stamp of Douglas Hyde ‘An Cead Uachtaran’.] 2 . Ts copy of Navan Chronicle article. [enclosed with above] 3 . Draft rely to 1. by Fawsitt, on Talbot Hotel, Wexford, stationery. (28 February) 4 . Acknowledgement of 2. (2 March) 5 . Letter from Plunkett to Fawsitt conveying a resolution resolving to take no further action in the matter but recording ‘its high sense of confidence in Mr Lynch an ex-President of this Society... and its conviction that he would be incapable of acting otherwise than in accordance with the highest standards of the Profession”. 6 . Draft response by Fawsitt to 5. (5 May 1944) 7 . Letter from Plunkett to Fawsitt thanking him for his of 5 May. (23 May 1944)

Reference: PR81/1/6/E/013 Date: 1939 - 1942 Title:

Wages Tribunals under Emergency Powers Legislation

Level:

Extent: 3 files

sub-series

Scope and Content: Sub-series relating to the appointment of Diarmuid Fawsitt SC to advisory wages tribunals by the Department of Industry and Commerce under the Emergency Powers Act, 1939, Emergency Powers (No. 166) Order, 1942, with some related papers. The records have been sub-divided into three files, to facilitate description and research use: PR81/1/6/E/13/01 Bundles containing orders (Form A.9(1).) appointing Fawsitt and others to tribunals to consider and arbitrate on applications for a Wages (Standard Rate) Order, with documentation relating to each order and application. PR81/1/6/E/13/02 Reports by tribunals on particular applications, where no order or other documentation is present. Some loose items of correspondence on applications, not relating to specific applications covered in PR81/1/6/B/01, are also placed in this file. PR81/1/6/E/13/03 Bundle relating to arbitration by Diarmuid Fawsitt SC in a trade dispute at Edenderry Shoe Company [apparently outside the context of wage tribunals under emergency powers legislation].

Reference: PR81/1/6/E/012 Date: 1942 - 1943 Title: Wages Tribunals Level: file Extent: TBC Scope and Content:

Reference: PR81/1/6/E/014 Date: [c1944] Title: Notes on Judgements Level: file Extent: 4 items Scope and Content:

File concerning Fawsitt’s work as chairman of arbitration tribunals on wages set up under the Emergency Powers (No 166) Order, 1942, and under the Emergency Powers (No 260) Order, 1943, both under the Emergency Powers Act, 1939. The file contains some correspondence between Fawsitt and the Department of Industry and Commerce and some copies of orders and related printed matter, followed by an extensive body of records relating to specific wages claims heard by tribunals. In general, Fawsitt acted as chairman for each tribunal, with two other lawyers also appointed. Claims were typically brought by a relevant trade union, representing workers in a particular business industry. Documentation usually includes a letter appointing the tribunal followed by correspondence, submissions, and final reports. Not all such documentation is present for all claims. Effort has been made to place records relating to specific claims together and in chronological order, but it is not always straightforward to identify and locate particular documentation with specific claims. Very

Informal file containing ms notes on opinions or judgements by Fawsitt. Includes the following: 1 . 16 May 1944. Note on a judgement in a matter under the Military Service Pensions Act (No 43), 1934. 2 . Note, Observations on sub-section (5) of Section 8 of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934 3 . [undated] Note on a contact matter, Fitzgerald v Breslin, (concerning ordering a meal in a hotel restaurant) [4. Rough note of axioms on Talbot Hotel, Wexford, stationery]

304

305