Irish people are healthier than their EU peers, but an ageing population will pose challenges for the health service into the future, according to a new report.

The Department of Health’s Health In Ireland Key Trends 2024 is an annual publication outlining trends in health and healthcare in Ireland over the past decade, and highlighting the challenges healthcare faces into the future.

Since 2015, the population has grown by 14.8pc – the population aged 65 and over grew by 36.5pc between 2015 and 2024.

Last year, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over stood at 15.5pc. Based on projections in the Department of Health’s report, that figure will rise to 23.8pc by 2044.

Rising life expectancy and an ageing population will put increasing pressure on the health service in the years to come, an issue that needs to be addressed according to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.