Hundreds of thousands of people downed a cup of coffee today as the annual fundraiser for hospice services got under way.
Ireland's biggest coffee morning will see over 1.25 million cups being poured in homes and workplaces in a bid to raise more than €2.5 million for hospice care this year.
Almost 30,000 people died in Ireland each year with over 6,000 ill people using hospice services.
Eugene Murray, chief executive of the Irish Hospice Foundation, estimated up to 13,000 patients will require access to hospice and specialist palliative care in 2016.
Mr Murray acknowledged significant progress had been made in recent years to expand hospice services.
But he added: "Regrettably, it is a fact that much work remains to be done to ensure that Ireland has a world-class national hospice/palliative care service. We know that there are still inconsistencies in accessing hospice services throughout the country.
"Patient and family access to comprehensive hospice services largely depends on the region of the country in which the patient lives. It is vital that we tackle this situation."
Mr Murray said all money raised would remain within the local area.
Around 1,499 patients were cared for in specialist in-patient units or hospices during 2004.
During the same period, specialist palliative care nurses provided over 90,000 home visits to more than 6,000 patients in the community.
PA