A new report on palliative care has said there needs to be equal access to these services for all who need them, no matter where they live.
The National Adult Palliative Care Policy said more needs to be done to improve services and supports for patients, families and carers.
Palliative care is a service aimed at improving the quality of life for people with a life-limiting illness.
The report said that as Ireland's population continues to grow, so too does the number of older people.
It recommends increasing GP home visits and ensuring more access to physiotherapy in the home.
People need to be supported to be cared for in their preferred place of care for as long as possible, it added.
It also recommends developing and expanding out-of-hours palliative care, including emergency care supports in the community and reducing unnecessary hospital admissions.
It said there needs to be better public understanding of palliative care.
The policy makes 25 recommendations and the group was chaired by Professor Karen Ryan, consultant in palliative medicine in the Mater Hospital and St Francis Hospice Dublin.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said €2 million is being provided in 2024 to begin implementation of the new policy.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Prof Ryan said the words 'palliative care' can often scare people, but the care is designed to help improve quality of life and provide relief from the physical, emotional, social and spiritual distress associated with serious illness, as well as promote dignity at the end of life.
She added that people are living far longer with serious illnesses, and palliative care has had to adapt to this and find newer ways of working, for example comprehensively embedding rehabilitation as part of the care it provides.
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