The Enterprise Ireland Design Unit has six strategies which it is pursuing -
1  Design Advisory Service, a service to Enterprise Ireland's client base.

2  National Design Focus, an awareness campaign to promote design as a business development strategy, aimed at the Irish business community.

3  Sectoral Design Initiatives, design seminars working with identified industry sectors or specific topics, i.e. design for e-commerce or fashion forecasts etc.

4  Building Design Industry Capability, assisting the implementation of a continuous professional development programme for the design industry. The creation of a dedicated design resource web-site.

5  Internationalisation. Business Missions, Design Study Visits and Matchmaking Opportunities to overseas markets. Irish Design Consultancies will be assisted to enter overseas design competitions.

6  Education. An Education Forum has been established to facilitate and address the design education needs of industry.

When was the Enterprise Ireland Design Unit first established?

The Design Unit has been an integral part of Enterprise Ireland since it's inception. Enterprise Ireland's predessors, An Bord Trachtala and before that Coras Trachtala all had a design role. In fact Kilkenny Design Workshops was a subsidiary company of CTT.

Recently Enterprise Ireland held a number of design seminars to educate industry to the benefits of design. What has the response been from the business sector in general to the design seminars?

More than 300 people from 253 companies attended the design seminars/workshops aimed at the business community. The response has been very positive. A further 175 designers attended the Design for E-Commerce and the Packaging - Creative Opportunity seminars.

It often said that Ireland has lacked a visual/design culture, Do you think this is changing? Is there a relationship between this new found industry interest in design and the success of the Irish economy?

It is often said but is it true? Yes it is changing but I believe that is more to do with increased availability of goods and services and wealth. I think your last question has more to do with quality, which as we all know is just what design is about.

The British media has played an important role in promoting and raising the profile of British design. Should the Irish media be taking a more active interest in the work of Irish Designers?

Yes, they should but there is a level of ignorance which has to be changed. The Sunday Business Post has and is doing it's best to promote design as a legitimate business development strategy. What we are calling D-Commerce, design for business.

The Design Industry often finds that the business sector does not recognise the benefits of design as a business tool, and often does not trust the benefits of the solutions provided by experienced designers. Does more trust need to be built up between the design Industry and the business sector?

Designers need to be better skilled in area such as business development. They need to promote themselves and also be able to better understand their clients needs. The design industry needs to be more professional in its' approach to the business community.

Irish Design is often seen to not engage the Irish Public themselves, from Millennium spire's to new post box design's, producing perhaps a sceptical view of the benefits of design. Does the Irish Public need to be more actively engaged in the role of design?

Yes, they need to be more aware of the benefits that good design can bring. Good Design is Good Business.

The report states that "The industry has reached a critical mass of uncoordinated small enterprises" - should a more co-operative effort be made by designers to team up with others in their field to promote themselves collectively?

Design consultancies need to form strategic alliances to gain a broader skills base and not necessary within Ireland. Now is the time to make that acquisition overseas.

What do you see as some of the recent important design successes in Irish design?

The success of Irish designers in winning international competitions and the willingness of design practices to get out into the international market and succeed in obtaining overseas business.

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