Ireland is offering to pay up to $92,000 for people to live on its 30 remote, idyllic islands off the western coast in an attempt to revitalize the islands that have rolling green hills, emerald seas, and moody skies as a realistic option for long-term living.
“Our Living Islands” is a 10-year policy fronted by the Irish Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys. She said in a June statement that the “ambitious” policy “will have a real and transformative effect on our islands and improve the lives of the people and families living there.”
The 10-year policy includes a three-year action plan comprising 80 “commitments” to improve housing and water infrastructure, health and education services, roads and piers, outdoor amenities, and sustainable tourism, as well as introducing high-speed broadband internet and remote working hubs to make working life easier for island residents.
A government grant will also go toward turning empty and derelict buildings into long-term homes.
To cap off this immense island regeneration, Ireland offers cash grants of up to €84,000 (approx. US $92,000) to anyone who buys property on one of the islands after July 1. The catch is that the property must have been built before 1993, and must have been vacant for at least two years, Business Insider reported.
Additionally, the grant money can only be used toward structural improvements, insulation, and redecoration.
The islands are cut off daily by shifting tides and are not connected to the mainland by bridges or causeways. Each small island already has a loyal, permanent population of hundreds. The 10-year policy is aimed at retaining these residents, enticing new residents, and encouraging tourists to enjoy the unique culture, heritage, and biodiversity that the islands have to offer.
“Our coastal islands and their communities are an integral part of the fabric of rural Ireland,” the Department for Rural and Community Development said.
Humphreys believes that in launching the “Our Living Islands” policy “we will see more people living on the islands and more people working on our islands, with good career prospects, regardless of where their employer is headquartered.”
“We will see our island communities, and especially young people, having an active role in shaping the future for their own islands,” Humphreys said.
On June 13, Humphreys approved capital funding of €1.9 million (approx. US$2.07 million) from five local authorities to start work on major infrastructure on the islands, such as piers, roads, and playgrounds, according to a statement.
However, this is not the first time these unique Irish islands have appealed to new residents. In 2019, people living on Inishmore, formerly Árainn Mhór, meaning “kidney-shaped,” sent open letters to the United States and Australia asking people to consider moving to their beautiful remote home to enjoy “time for living,” CNN reported.
“We’ve a whole host of multi-talented people here, ready to collaborate,” read the open letter. “Or if you’re looking for a change of pace, why not come here. Your commute, no matter where you are, will only ever be five minutes.”
