It’s known as the Emerald Isle, home to St. Patrick's Day, shamrocks, Leprechauns and Guinness, among many other things.It could also be your home, with the Irish government shelling out upwards of CAD$120,000 to you to move to one of its 30 remote coastal islands..The islands aren't connected to the Irish mainland via bridge or causeway and are cut off daily because of the tide. Only about 3,000 people live there year-round, reports The Week..The program, called Our Living Islands, is hoped to boost population levels in the area, Heather Humphreys, the country's minister for rural and community development, told CNBC.. IrelandIreland ."It's all about improving housing, better access to essential services in health and education, delivering high-speed broadband and further developing our outdoor amenities, which will in turn increase tourism and support sustainable island communities," said Humphreys..Naturally, there’s a catch or two..The money from the government must be spent on renovating dilapidated properties found on the islands, built before 1993 and vacant for at least two years..The funding represents a "major effort to turn vacant or derelict buildings on islands into long-term homes," the government said, and also "builds on an existing scheme to encourage people to salvage deserted properties," even on the mainland, Fortune added. .It is not clear whether a visa will be required in order to live and work in Ireland under the program..The Washington Post calls it “a tantalizing proposal" adding the “islands are geographically isolated and cut off from the mainland and some have as few as two residents. They are also breathtaking: rolling hills, dramatically craggy cliffs and historic ruins.”.In an email to The Post, Ireland’s Rural and Community Development Department (RCDD) said, “There is also an added challenge of retaining young people on the islands as the population profile is aging,” adding it was not paying people to move..The grants, which do not include ownership of a property, were originally launched last year in Ireland’s main island in an effort to revitalize areas with a significant number of vacant buildings..“The response was strong,” reports The Post. “More than 500 applications had been approved by the first quarter of 2023. None of the policies, for the mainland or the islands, include help with immigration or resettlement," added RCDD.”.“While non-residents can purchase property in Ireland, homeownership does not guarantee residency.”.That could prove to be a stumbling block for foreigners willing to relocate full-time..“Some want to move out of stressful cities to embrace a slower life in rural areas, others want a vacation home, and some are looking to escape conflicts unfolding in home countries,” says The Post. “Various other impediments can make such projects daunting.”.“Renovation can be challenging under unfamiliar circumstances, especially when facing language barriers, limited labour availability and supply problems. Some look at buying these properties to turn them into rentals, but such locations are often not a big draw for tourists.”.Ireland is not the only country offering a ‘paid-to-renovate' program, says The Week..“Similar schemes have also been launched in other countries. Sardinia, an island in Italy, offered people 15,000 euros to move there last year if they used the money to renovate a property, and various towns in the country have sold homes for just one euro or given them away for free in the past.
