1800 jobs and 200 new businesses to be created through Irish Design 2015 (ID2015)

Ministers Bruton and Nash launch ID2015 to promote Ireland as a hub for design excellence

8th December 2014

2015 has been designated as the year of Irish design. Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) is a year-long programme which will promote and celebrate Irish design with the aim of driving job-creation, growing exports and increasing competitiveness.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, and Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash TD, launched ID2015 today (Monday) as part of the Action Plan for Jobs.

The project is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

Through a programme of over 300 Irish and international events, ID2015 aims to:
· Create 1800 jobs over three years through sales of design-led products and services
· Generate an additional €10m in design-based exports
· Generate 200 new design-led business start-ups
· Facilitate more than 300 companies in international trade missions and design-based trade events
· Engage with an audience of over 3 million at home and abroad
It is an all-island initiative and will showcase the best of Irish design at home through events and exhibitions but also target the export market through trade missions and events in international capitals of design and commerce.

Minister Bruton said, “Supporting our businesses to produce high-quality design is an important part of our plan to sell more goods and services abroad and create more jobs in Ireland. This is a key part of our Action Plan for Jobs. As a northern European, high-value, export-oriented economy, innovating in design can allow our businesses to develop better products and services and ultimately sell more of them in competitive foreign markets – with major benefits for us all.”

“In Ireland we have many great businesses producing excellent design. The challenge for Government is to showcase these brilliant businesses around the world and support them in selling their goods and services to foreign buyers. That is why we have named 2015 the year of Irish design, and why we will be supporting a comprehensive programme of national and international events. This will facilitate more sales for more Irish businesses, and crucially 1800 badly needed extra jobs at home in Ireland.”

Minister Nash said, “When many of us think of design, we might think about architecture or fashion or crafts. But, design is about so much more – from film and animation, to medical devices to the Philae craft landing on a comet last month – all are design focused and Ireland has some world class talent in this field.”

“ID2015 will celebrate the very best of Irish design, but with a specific focus on jobs and business growth. We know that for every €1 invested in design, a business can generate over €20 in increased revenues, can expect a return of over €5 in increased exports and more than €4 increase in net operating profit. We will use ID2015 to encourage businesses to invest in design to improve their own bottom line.” Source: Design Delivers for Business, Design Council UK, September 2013.

ID2015 is being convened by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) on behalf of the Dept of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland.

Laura Magahy, Executive Chairman of ID2015 said, “We welcome the Government’s support of Irish Design 2015, which demonstrates their commitment to developing the Irish design sector together with us and our partners. Events throughout the year will highlight the importance of design in enhancing our lives, our environment and our society. We look forward to a programme of activities that will engage the public, businesses and designers next year and encourage investment in design in order to develop the sector into the future.”

Details of the national and international programme for ID2015 are available at www.irishdesign2015.ie. Among the highlights are:

· Sectoral and regional design networks will be established across the island of Ireland to stimulate economic growth and encourage investment and collaboration in the design sector
· A design innovation fund will see the initiation of a diverse range of projects such as workshops, conferences and events which will have a strategic impact on the development of supports for design companies and SMEs across the island of Ireland
· The work of Irish designers will be presented at international events such as Milan and Dutch Design Weeks, London Festival of Architecture, London and Paris Fashion Weeks, London Design Festival, Chicago Architecture Biennial and Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture in Hong Kong/Shenzhen
· Design Challenges will take place during the year where Irish designers will work with communities to develop solutions to design needs or opportunities for improvement
· An international trade fund will enable Irish designers and companies to access international markets and create export opportunities
· Dublin has been designated World Design Hub 2015 by the International Association of Designers as part of ID2015, promoting the skills and talents of Irish designers to a worldwide audience
· A digital platform will act as a one-stop-shop for anyone interested in finding the latest tools and techniques for applying design, making connections with peers, and finding the latest research
· In partnership with the Office of Public Works, The Coach House at Dublin Castle will be a design hub for ID2015, showcasing Irish and international design exhibitions from partners including Design Museum London and Vitra Design Museum, Germany.
· A “Celebrate Your Local Design Hero” initiative will encourage local libraries to celebrate designers from their local area through events, workshops or mini festivals
· Toolkits and programmes will be developed for design-led education initiatives from primary to third level to ensure the ongoing development of design talent and expertise in Ireland
Two of the initiatives for ID2015 are already underway.

· President Michael D. Higgins, Patron of ID2015, is today (Mon 8th Dec) opening an exhibition of Irish design and craft in Beijing. Entitled “Weathering”, the exhibition premiered at London Design Festival 2014.
· DCCoI and DAA are installing a photographic exhibition of 300 images throughout Terminal 2 and Terminal 1 in Dublin Airport. “Design Island” is expected to be seen by over 21 million passengers between now and the end of 2015.