Plenty of us have thought about moving abroad before – with the cost-of-living crisis causing thousands to actually do so. But, while some head to the sunny beaches of Australia there’s a new option closer to home.
In fact, you could get paid to move to a remote Irish island! For those who love escaping busy cities and prefer a quiet life surrounded by natural beauty it could be perfect for you.
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A series of islands including Arranmore, Bere and Inis Mor are looking for new residents – and people willing to move could be paid up to €84,000 (£72,000) under the Our Living Islands policy.
The areas you can move to include 30 sparsely populated spots – many of which will blow your mind with their rocky cliffs, green open spaces and incredible bays. Islands like Arranmore island off County Donegal on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Arranmore has huge cliffs which the sea crashes against in a rugged display. There’s also Clare Island off County Mayo which has sandy beaches and is perfect for those who love to hike.
Bere Island is quiet but beautiful – it has pretty lighthouses, plenty of plant and animal life and is good for those who love swimming or cycling.
Meanwhile, Inis Mor – one of the Aran Islands famous for being in the film The Banshees Of Inisherin– is also accepting newcomers. Inis Mor has lots of prehistoric sights, natural pools, church ruins and even a cute seal colony. It’s a pretty popular tourist destination and has beaches like Kilmurvey which have white sand and bright blue waters.
It’s hoped that this will boost the low population of the offshore communities.
The fantastic new opportunity was launched by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys this month. She said: "As a result of delivering this 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."
She added: "Our aim is to build resilient and sustainable island communities and economies through real and tangible investment and improved supports and services." But, there is a catch – you will need to purchase and own a property on one of the island.
The building must have been built before 1993 and had to have been empty for two years or more. The you can get the cash, but it does come with rules.
It can be used towards building work such as installing insulation, structural improvements and redecoration. So, the grant could lead you to build your dream home, saving it from ruin and helping you to live in parade.
The grants will come into play on July 1 and thankfully will be applied retrospectively to existing applications. It’s part of the Irish government's National Islands Policy and Action Plan which looks to support the island communities.
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