Ms Louise Allen:

Deputy Seán Kyne asked a number of questions. Irish Design 2015 has received a very positive response from the sector which views the initiative as very encouraging and one which should be sustained. We have run a series of open calls, which has provided a level of funding directly to the designers and design companies. More than 130 individuals and design companies have received funding through the initiative. We also had an open call for an international trade fund, which provides a level of matching funding to enable applicants to attend relevant trade events internationally.

We have just submitted our first quarterly report which shows that we had more than 50 designers at international events. Alongside the event in Milan, we had a presence during London Fashion Week, which showcased emerging Irish fashion designers, and 21 designers at the Maison & Objet trade fair in January. We launched the year with Showcase, our international trade show. We were delighted to bring the exhibition, Weathering, to Beijing during the President's visit to China in December. As a result, we saw a significant increase in the number of Chinese buyers visiting Ireland for the Showcase trade event, which was extremely positive.

On the international element of the programme, we have received considerable support from the embassy network abroad. We are working with more than 25 embassies and touring a capsule exhibition that is also linking with some of the trade missions taking place in 2015. This is a significant and positive development.

On the design courses available in Ireland, when I graduated from the National College of Art and Design, the entrepreneurial and business side was not a core component of courses. As I stated, we are actively working with the institutes of technology and universities to roll out a programme in this regard in September as part of the new curriculum. We will also develop a design education programme to encourage entrepreneurial activity at second level and this will feed into the programme at third level.

In terms of design hubs, they can be both physical and virtual and both have benefits. There are examples in Ireland such as the Fumbally Exchange where a number of creatives are housed under one roof and able to share experience and expertise. This model has proved to be highly beneficial. NeueHouse, the model I mentioned in New York, houses a number of companies and provides flexible co-working spaces. It serves as a very efficient recruiting mechanism for creatives for technology companies in New York city. It is very important to have some element of this here and linkages between Ireland and other countries such as the United States.

In terms of the profile in the media, first and foremost, we need to be present at events to secure coverage. We need to make the best representation possible in terms of quality, innovation and the type of product we choose. It is also a matter of building relationships and partnerships, which are core elements of Irish Design 2015. Internationally, we have developed very significant relationships with institutions such as the British Council, the Design Council in the United Kingdom and the V&A where we will have a significant intervention later in the year. We have also established links in New York, for example, with the director of the Museum of Arts and Design and Paola Antonelli in MoMA. All of the relationships and partnerships we build make a major difference in terms of the type and level of profile Ireland enjoys and the and way in which it is perceived.