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Research highlights potential of design sector - Nash
Minister Ged Nash with Karen Hennessy, Chief Executive of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland at Showcase, Ireland's International Creative Expo
Ireland's design sector is worth €38 billion in exports and employs 48,000 people - that's 2.5% of the entire workforce.
New research highlights the value of the sector as well as the outcomes from the Year of Irish Design, which took place in 2015. Business & Employment Minister Ged Nash published the research today. Some of the outcomes included:
- 2,000+ Irish designers were showcased through the programme
- 270+ Irish companies were supported to participate in leading international events
- Export sales pipeline of over €20 million were generated to date through core ID2015 programmes
- 370+ new design businesses were registered in Ireland during 2015
- 15 new regional and sectoral design networks were established
Speaking about the results, 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.
The Minister said the Government is committed to pursuing concrete actions on design under the 2016 Action Plan for Jobs.
READ: Designed in Ireland: Policy Framework for Design in Enterprise in Ireland
For more information read the press release here.