A new report has suggested the number of people living with dementia in Ireland will more than double by the year 2050.

Alzheimer Europe says 141,200 people will be living with the condition - up from an estimated 55,000 today.

People with dementia will represent around 2.49% of population in the next 30 years.

Ireland exceeds the broader European trend of the numbers of people with dementia.

A key factor for this change appears to be the significant increase in the numbers of people aged over 60, and in particular, the over 85 age range - which will more than triple between 2018 and 2050.

The report also found that while healthier lifestyles and better education have contributed to a reduction of the prevalence of dementia across Europe, an ageing population means that the number of people living with the disease is set to increase substantially in the years ahead.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland says: "This increased number of people living with dementia in Ireland will place greater pressure on care and support services and points to the need to substantially invest in dementia care services in Ireland".

"There is a crisis in dementia care and access to community dementia-specific services across Ireland depends on where you live and no county in Ireland has even a minimum level of support."

"This report highlights the pressing need for a National Dementia Registry for Ireland, which is currently at an early stage of development and will require further investment in the future.

"This is necessary in order to collect information on dementia in a reliable and accurate way.

"Currently the lack of joined up recording of dementia diagnoses means Ireland does not have access to an accurate picture of the numbers of people living with the condition in Ireland so we can adequately plan treatment and care pathways for the thousands developing this condition every year."

The Alzheimer Society's head of advocacy, Tina Leonard, said: "The overall picture is extremely stark as Ireland now faces a full-blown public health crisis with a predicted 141,200 people living with dementia in Ireland by 2050.

"This will exert extreme pressure on stretched dementia supports and services which are already in a state of crisis. The new government must finally tackle the crisis in dementia care."