The size and make-up of the Irish population has changed in important ways over the last two decades and these trends look set to continue. Such ‘demographic’ trends have implications for almost all areas of Irish life but health and health care are particularly sensitive to the make-up of the population. Effective planning for the consequences of these trends will be crucial in determining how successful we are in coping with the associated challenges. This report is the first attempt to tease out and quantify the impact of demographic change on the demand for and delivery of health care in Ireland.