By Business & Finance 
The Government initiative to promote the value and reputation of Irish design has delivered significant achievements, according to Business and Employment Minister Ged Nash TD.
The outcomes of Year of Irish Design 2015 (ID2015), as well as new research detailing the value of design in Ireland were published on January 26th.
ID2015 was a year-long initiative exploring, promoting and celebrating Irish design throughout the country and internationally, convened by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland.
Through ID2015, over 2,000 Irish designers showcased through the programme and export sales of over €20m has been generated to date through core ID2015 programmes
670 projects and events delivered, including 160 internationally, reaching an audience in excess of 1.5 million.
Minister Nash said: “ID2015 confirms that design creativity is alive and well in Ireland both at the individual and the business level. But it also tells us that investing in our design capability and performance will yield new export sales, create quality jobs and boost Ireland’s international creative brand. To do so, Government will work with the DCCoI and the design sector to bring design into the heart of enterprise policy and to lose its status as the Cinderella of Ireland’s innovation strategy and action plans.”
Ged Nash TD, Minister for Business and Employment Minister, said the Government was committed to further pursuing actions on design under the 2016 Action Plan for Jobs.
He said: “We need to build on the legacy of ID2015 and these actions will maintain the momentum created by the Year of Irish Design. I believe there is huge potential to grow both employment and exports in businesses that embrace design as a core function of their enterprise. We also have the opportunity to further cement Ireland’s reputation as a source of quality design.”
The hope is to now strengthen Ireland’s design capability and performance through Enterprise Ireland and DCCoI supports such as regional collaboration funds, start-up funds, international trade promotion, clustering initiatives, technology gateways, incubator initiatives and regional and sectoral networks.
Enterprise Ireland will also work with DCCoI in promoting design thinking to their clients as a strategic element of business management.
