More people are being hurt while taking part in sports every year and sports injuries cost the health service €530m to treat in 2014, according to new research carried out for the health ministry.

In particular, youngsters are more likely to be injured, even though more adults are taking up sport, the research shows. The researchers said this is due to a lack of ‘general fitness’.

However, the cost to society of not taking exercise is greater than that of sports injuries, the minister said. The bill for diseases which are attributed to a lack of exercise, such as heart problems, is €471m a year, while depression, which can also be helped by sport, costs €322m, the minister said.