A new Irish State initiative will create 1,800 jobs and see 200 new start-ups established over the next three years.
Dubbed ‘Irish Design 2015’ – and part of the Government’s overall Action Plan for Jobs – the project will look to increase exports, workforce numbers and interactions between indigenous operations and the global business world.
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.
“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,” said Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
“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 1,800 badly needed extra jobs at home in Ireland,” Bruton added.
Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash said Irish Design 2015 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.”
