ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the developments in mental policy in the Republic of Ireland. It considers the legislative changes proposed in the White Paper for the New Mental Health Act. Psychiatric social work in the Republic needs to be put into an organisational context which pays particular attention to structure and the blurring of multidisciplinary roles within mental health teams and its wider relationship with community care social work. The 1945 Act was a major, innovative piece of legislation in its time, because it signaled a shift from the previous 'legal' attitude to mental health care in favour of a medically based model. The sectorization of the mental health services as proposed by Planning for the Future Report should have seen a rapid and major expansion of psychiatric social work posts in the Irish Republic. In particular three recommendations may directly effect the future development of social work practice: admission criteria, the Mental Health Review Board; and Adult Care Orders.
