If you’ve ever felt like dropping everything and starting afresh somewhere new, now may be the time to do so as the Irish government is offering generous incentives to those willing to renovate property on its rural islands.
Ireland’s ‘Our Living Islands’ policy was launched by the government in early June 2023. It aims to boost population on offshore islands both by helping people to renovate a property, and also solving certain problems inherent in such communities, such as with better Wifi connections and healthcare.
Homes on the Aran Islands in County Galway
The Our Living Islands project
There are over 30 islands off the Irish coast cut off by the daily tide and not connected by bridge or causeway or are privately owned. The government believes these islands and their communities are, “an integral part of the fabric of rural Ireland.”
In the published policy, which you can view here, the Government of Ireland writes, “The economic value of the islands extends far beyond their own shores, with many towns and businesses on the mainland benefiting from the provision of services such as hospitality and accommodation to those en route to and from the islands.”
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Proposed actions
The ‘Our Living Islands’ scheme aims to improve conditions, boost employment opportunities, improve infrastructure and housing availability to new residents on these rural islands to make the islands more attractive to buyers. The scheme hopes to encourage young people to remain on, or move to, the Irish islands to live, work and raise families.
The policy is underpinned by five strategic objectives:
- Revitalise population levels on the islands
- Diversify island economies
- Enhance health and wellbeing services
- Empower island communities
- Build smart, sustainable futures
The action plan for the Our Living Islands policy is planned for 2023 – 2026 and includes 80 time-bound actions that will be implemented by various agencies and stakeholders.
Aerial view oh homes on Toraigh Island, County Donegal
The cash incentive caveats
There are several caveats to receiving the cash incentive. Prospective residents must purchase and own a property on one of the rural Irish islands. It must have been vacant for at least two years and built before 1993.
The money can’t be blown on a cruise or trip of a lifetime though – the grant can only be used for building work that would improve your home’s structure or design.
So basically, you could buy a ruin of a property and spend up to €84,000 to transform the property into your own Irish paradise.
The grants are an extension of a scheme already in place on the mainland called Croí Cónaithe.
Learn more about it here on the government website and read about ‘Croí Cónaithe’.
The policy officially comes into effect on July 1 and eligibility varies with each local authority. Find out more about the ‘Our Living Islands’ scheme here.
Sources: Euronews, Government of Ireland and the Our Living Policy
