Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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308. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will consider carrying out a value-for-money review of the Design Crafts Council of Ireland which comes under the auspices of her Department; if there was a review carried out before the appointment of a new chairperson; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2500/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Design and Crafts Council receives funding through Enterprise Ireland for the purpose of promoting crafts and design initiatives. The Budget is approved by the EI Board.

An Economic Impact Review of the Crafts Council of Ireland was carried out by Tom Martin and Associates on behalf of Enterprise Ireland in late 2013.

The review made recommendations under the following headings:

- Market development

- Human resource development

- Networks development

- Extending the remit of the Council to include aspects of design

- Strategic partnering

- Service-Level Agreement with Enterprise Ireland/Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

This review has formed the basis of Enterprise Ireland’s engagement with the now Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) since then and in particular led to the signing of a Service Level Agreement between Enterprise Ireland & DCCoI for the years 2014–2016. A new Service Level Agreement is currently under discussion.

I have no current plans to conduct a value for money review of the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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309. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total funds allocated and expended by the Design Crafts Council of Ireland on the Year of Design project; if there was any review of the funds expended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2501/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Funding was allocated to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) for the delivery of Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, through Enterprise Ireland.

The total funding was €5.5 million, with €550,000 allocated in 2014 and €4,950,000 in 2015.

From the outset of the initiative, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were agreed for ID2015. Detailed updates on both expenditure and progress in relation to KPIs were provided by DCCoI to both the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland on a regular basis throughout the year.

Delivery of KPIs for Irish Design 2015:

I launched Irish Design 2015 – Making Design Matter, the closing report on the ID2015 initiative in December 2016.

This report outlines that the total funds allocated to ID2015, €5.5 million, generated an 11-fold return on investment totalling €55.4 million, which included sponsorship and match funding, direct sales, PR value and incoming tourist expenditure.

The aim of Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) was to bring visibility to Ireland’s dynamic design businesses and support them in trading in competitive foreign markets in order to drive job creation, grow exports and increase competitiveness.

ID2015 succeeded in raising the awareness of Irish Design both nationally and internationally and the challenge is to build on its success to further develop Irish design capability as a key component of business innovation in Ireland.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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310. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the budget allocation for the Design Crafts Council of Ireland, DCCI, on an annual basis for the period 2011 to 2016 and the budget allocation for 2017, in tabular form; the total number of persons employed by DCCI currently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2502/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland receives income through membership fees and also receives funding through Enterprise Ireland for the purpose of promoting crafts and design initiatives. The Budget is approved by the EI Board. Operational and policy matters, along with expenditure, are governed by a Service Level Agreement between the two parties.

The funding allocation by Enterprise Ireland to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) for the years 2011 to 2017 is contained in the following table.  

DCCoI delivered a comprehensive programme of events and activities across the island of Ireland for the Year of Craft 2011 initiative.

As a follow up to the successful planning and execution of this programme, when the idea arose at the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2013 to designate a year to celebrating and promoting Irish design, the Government supported this proposal and DCCoI was charged with convening the Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) initiative on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation.

Additional funding was therefore allocated to DCCoI in 2014 and 2015 to facilitate the planning and delivery of the ID2015 initiative.

DCCoI’s current headcount is 23 - the organisation currently employs 21 staff and is recruiting for 2 positions which recently became available.

DCCoI is the main champion and representative body of the design and craft industry in Ireland. The organisation currently has over 60 membership organisations and over 3,200 registered client enterprises.

The organisation delivers a broad range of support and development programmes aimed at sustaining and growing Ireland’s vibrant design and craft sector which provides quality sustainable jobs across the island of Ireland in both urban and rural areas.