Following the publication by Minister Healy-Rae of the Horticulture Education Review Report 2025 (the report), the Group has been established as a sub-committee of the Horticulture Industry Forum sub committee (HIF). HELG will report to HIF sub-committee.
Operation and duration
The HELG will commence its activities on the January 1, 2026.
The HELG may be reconstituted before April 30, 2029, to continue its work should the need arise.
A Chairperson will be appointed by the Horticulture Industry Forum to lead the HELG and secretariat services will be provided by DAFM staff as required.
Purpose
HELG will engage with industry stakeholders in furtherance of the HELG objectives.
HELG will provide advice and guidance that will be used to ensure delivery of the recommendations from the Horticulture Education Review Report 2025. These are summarised as follows:
1. HELG should provide input into the review of horticultural educational content at all levels in line with the findings in the report.
2. HELG should provide input to continuing professional development offerings in line with the findings in the report.
3. HELG should coordinate and prepare material that can be used by education providers and industry stakeholders to promote/market horticulture as an attractive and rewarding career.
4. To support an all-island approach, the HELG should, through existing North South arrangements, share the outputs and learnings from the review of curricula and the preparation of material to promote/market horticulture as a career
HELG will co-ordinate and liaise with all relevant government, semi state and NGO bodies in Ireland.
HELG may identify and source industry, state and international funding to support individual projects developed during its activities.
Role of the HELG
The role of the HELG is to:
*Provide guidance and advice that supports the delivery of the recommendations from the report and ensure the expected outcomes
*Share expertise on horticulture curriculum development and advocacy/marketing campaigns to promote horticulture and its careers
*Share policy, procedures, practice and templates that will support the objectives of the group
*Assist the Chairperson and Secretariat to understand the local/individual organisation service delivery environment
*Assist the Chairperson and Secretariat to mitigate or treat risks and issues that present throughout the operational period
*Inform and advise the Chairperson and Secretariat on any information that may help with or negatively impact the delivery of the recommendations
*Review information and guidance provided by the HELG to ensure they align with the National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027
*Facilitate a bi-annual conference on the island of Ireland with international experts
*The HELG will prepare an annual report summarising the work of the group during each year. This report will be submitted and presented by DAFM at the following HIF Forum meeting
Role of the Chair
National Strategy for Horticulture 2023 to 2027
The HIF Sub Committee was instrumental in the development of the Government’s National Strategy for Horticulture and leads the implementation of the eight Key Strategic Actions it identified.
National Horticulture Strategy 2023 to 2027
The draft midterm review of the strategy was presented to growers at the general grower meeting of the HIF forum on November 12, 2025. Comments can be sent to info@hif.ie or through sector representatives or to horticulturestrategy@agriculture.gov.ie. Deadline December 1, 2025.
Horticulture Education Leadership Group (HELG)
Following a review of horticulture course availability and suitability for a modern dynamic industry (under Key Strategic Action 4), it was agreed that a Horticulture Education Leadership Group (HELG) be set up to drive forward changes to curricula and engage with education providers (and growers) to promote the sector to potential students. The HELG reports to the HIF subcommittee.
This is a remunerated role and will be recruited by the Horticulture Industry Forum sub-committee and paid for by DAFM. (Travel expenses will be paid at Civil service rates).
The chair will set the agenda and chair meetings and may liaise with members in between meetings to further identified action points.
Membership and Role of the Individual Members
Membership will be open to representatives of all horticulture education organisations in Ireland and industry.
Membership will be limited to seven people in order to ensure productive meetings. It is intended that there will be 20% industry representation.
Potential members may nominate themselves and appointments to the HELG will be ratified by the Chair and the HIF sub committee.
Members of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (the professional body representing professional horticulturists on the islands of Ireland and Great Britain) and other professional bodies, for example the International Society for Horticultural Science, the Irish Landscape Institute and the Institute of Flowers would be particularly welcome.
As required, HELG will engage with industry stakeholders (individual or representatives of industry groups) with specific interest and knowledge of the separate sectors within horticulture.
The purpose of HELG and its working group members is to:
*Share their expertise and knowledge
*Attend meetings and progress action items recorded in the meeting action list
*Consider the perspectives of others in the group
*Display leadership through engaging proactively and productively in discussions and assisting in identifying solutions
*Report progress or concerns to the HELG Chairperson and Secretariat
Authority for Decisions
The HELG has responsibility for:
*Making all decisions related to its group’s activities, outcomes, deliverables and outputs
*Approving all group policy, procedures and practices
*Meeting Administration
*The HELG Chairperson or his/her deputy will chair all HELG meetings
*DAFM staff will act as the secretariat for HELG meetings
*Standing agenda items will be discussed at the first working group meeting, while other agenda items will be added as per the agreed Work Schedule
*Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will be invited to the meetings as required. Invitations will be sent to the SMEs by the Secretariat with approval of the Chairperson
*Action items will be used to track the HELG activities and decisions
*The Secretariat will send agenda and discussion papers to members two weeks in advance of scheduled meetings
*The agenda may be segmented into items for discussion/decision and items for noting
*HELG meeting notes, actions and decisions will be circulated by the secretariat within three days after each meeting
*A minimum of four (4) HELG meetings will be held each year
*Meetings will be in person, hybrid or fully online as required
