The large cash handouts are intended to attract new residents to Ireland’s offshore settlements.
If you’ve ever fantasized about abandoning everything and starting over on a secluded island, now is your opportunity.
Ireland has developed a program that will provide hefty economic incentives to those who relocate to one of the country’s offshore communities.
The project is part of the country’s “Our Living Islands” policy, which aims to increase the population of Ireland’s islands.
“The aim of this policy is to ensure that sustainable, vibrant communities can continue to live – and thrive – on the offshore islands for many years to come,” the government says.
It sounds like the ideal escape, but there are a few stipulations to be aware of.
How to get paid to move to an island in Ireland
The “Our Living Islands” program assists communities on 30 islands that are not connected to the mainland by bridges and are cut off by the tides.
The Irish government would pay over €80,000 to new residents of offshore communities as part of the scheme.
However, it is not as simple as moving into a cozy island home and receiving a large bank deposit the next day.
The generous financial awards are being offered in order to rescue and restore the increasing number of abandoned and decrepit properties on the islands.
As such, there are a few caveats to receiving the free money.
Prospective residents must first buy and possess property on one of the islands. The structure must have been built before 1993 and have been empty for at least two years.
There are additional restrictions on how the money can be spent once it has been given. The funds can be utilized for construction projects such as insulation installation, structural improvements, and redecorating.
If you jump through all the hoops, you may be looking at up to €84,000 to salvage a property from destruction and turn it into your dream home.
The “Our Living Islands” awards are an extension of a system called “Cro Cónaithe” that is currently in place on the island of Ireland.
However, the sums offered for renovating a house on one of Ireland’s islands are more to reflect the increased costs associated with less established infrastructure.
Applications for a secluded life on a wild island will be available beginning July 1. The eligibility policies of the islands’ local governments varied widely, so visit the “Our Living Islands” webpage to learn more.
Arranmore, off the coast of County Donegal, with sweeping golden sands and jagged rocks, or Clare Island, off the coast of County Mayo, is a hiker’s paradise with a resident population of only 160.
Get paid to move to Europe
Several other municipalities in Europe have initiated initiatives to attract new residents.
Rural towns and villages in Italy and Spain, in particular, are employing economic incentives to boost their diminishing populations.
Ponga, a mountain town in northwest Spain, will pay each British resident £2,600 (€2,971).
Presicce-Acquarica, a white-washed town in the southern Italian region of Puglia, will pay new residents up to €30,000 to relocate.
