Ireland is taking the problem of rural desertification head on and is giving itself the means to do so, even going so far as to give money to those who will invest in isolated islands.
If you like cliffs whipped by spray and endless meadows, if you want to leave everything behind for a peaceful life, far from urban chaos, “Our Living Islands” will interest you. This is the program launched by the Irish government to repopulate the islands which have lost almost 15% of their population in thirty years, and above all to restore their attractiveness.
Part of this program is focused on housing. From July 1, if you buy a vacant property there, you will be entitled to a nice subsidy, up to 85,000 euros. You still have to apply. But you have time, this plan will be spread over ten years.
Thirty islands are concerned
Where to invest? The choice is yours: around thirty islands are concerned, mainly on the west side. Inis Mór, not far from Galway: only 3,000 inhabitants but already internationally renowned thanks to a film, “The Banshees of Inisherin”, awarded at the Venice Film Festival and the Golden Globes. Every time images of award speeches spin on social media, it drives up tourism bookings. There, at least, you won’t be alone. But let’s be honest, Inis Mór is the headliner. The others are less known, smaller, less populated… and sometimes less accessible.
What are the conditions ? The accommodation must have been built before 1993 and have been empty for at least two years. Then the grant varies: the 85,000 euros will be awarded for a ruin where everything has to be redone. The subsidy drops to 60,000 euros for empty houses in good condition – 20% more than the envelopes allocated for similar projects in the rest of the country.
On paper, the initiative is attractive. In reality, it just compensates for the additional cost linked to insular and isolated construction sites, which are necessarily more expensive. Last condition, and not the least: you must obtain the right to stay in the country. The residence permit is not essential to acquire a property but it is for those who wish to reside there permanently.
An ambitious plan
The Irish program is not new: other rural regions, in Switzerland, Spain or Italy have already launched this type of initiative. The particularity is that it is part of a larger plan: the government will also invest in the renovation of roads, piers, access ramps to beaches… which will bring tourists. For this, he has already released 1.8 million euros. There’s even a line in that budget to install a new coin-operated telescope so you can take in the scenery on Inish Meàin Island.
The idea is also to install broadband everywhere to promote distance education and work. Beyond tourists, the objective is indeed to bring back inhabitants, to recreate dynamic and sustainable communities, which will play their role in the transition to a low-carbon economy… It has been almost 30 years since the government hadn’t launched such an ambitious plan.