At least 40% more inpatient beds will be needed in hospitals by 2040.
A new study by the ESRI suggests an additional 4,400 to 6,800 beds are needed to provide enough care for the growing population.
Emergency Department attendances are projected to grow from 1.6 million to around 2.1 million by 2040.
Aoife Brick from the ESRI says an ageing population will cause challenges for the future health service:
