You could live on a tiny remote island off the UK coast and get paid a staggering £70K a YEAR… but it's not all easy
The initiative falls under the "Our Living Islands" policy, designed to attract more residents and breathe new life into remote communities.
8
8
8
The Irish government is offering individuals up to £70,000 to purchase a home on one of the country's remote islands.
Around 23 inhabited offshore islands are eligible for the scheme.
As of 2016, the combined population of these remote isles was just 2,734.
The Aran Islands are the most famous ones in the scheme and feature three picturesque rocky isles, Inishmaan, Inisheer and Inishmore.
However, the most remote island is Tory (Toraigh), which had a population of just 141 people as of 2023.
Each isle has its own unique landscapes and features that shape its character and the lives of those who live there.
The scheme is open to everyone, even if you're not an Irish citizen — but there's a catch.
The £70,000 grant provided by the government is intended to renovate vacant or derelict homes on the island.
They are not paying people to move there directly.
The scheme aims to improve infrastructure in the area, which in turn will help create more sustainable communities.
The beautiful home on Irish market for €750k with incredible island views
Successful applicants must use the money solely for restoring properties, as it is not a lump sum that can be used for general living expenses.
Renovating properties can be expensive, and once complete, the scheme does not permit the home to be used as a holiday let or short-term rental.
Despite not needing to be an Irish citizen, applicants must meet certain criteria to qualify.
To receive the grant, applicants must either own or be in the process of buying a property that meets the age and vacancy requirements.
Those looking to move to one of these remote islands can only choose a vacant or derelict property built before 2007 that has been unoccupied for a minimum period.
Applicants must also plan to live there permanently or rent the property out for at least 10 years to avoid having to repay large portions of the grant.
If someone sells the property, stops using it as their main home, or it's no longer rented out, they may have to repay all or part of the grant to the local authority.
In the first five years, homeowners must repay the full grant. Between five and ten years, they must repay 75 per cent of the grant.
After ten years, homeowners can keep the property without repaying any of the grant.
8
8
8
8
8
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
12 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Corporate tax revenues up 14% on same period last year
Corporate tax revenues have increased by 14 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the Department of Finance. A total of €58 billion in tax receipts was collected as of the end of July, representing an increase of €5.6 billion, or 11 per cent, on last year. Advertisement This includes €1.7 billion from the Apple tax money that was the feature of a dispute between the US tech giant, Ireland and the European Commission. When the Apple tax money is excluded, tax revenues amounted to €56.2 billion, up by €3.9 billion, or 7.5 per cent, on last year. Corporation tax receipts excluding the Apple tax money were up by €1.8 billion, or 14.1 per cent, on the same period last year. While July is not usually a significant month for corporation tax revenues, receipts of €1.2 billion were collected, an increase of €900 million on July last year, which the department said highlighted the 'exceptional month-to-month volatility' of the sector. Advertisement Income tax receipts until the end of July were up by €800 million on last year, or 3.9 per cent, and VAT receipts were up by €700 million, or 4.8 per cent. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said the tax revenue figures are 'broadly' in line with what was expected at this point in the year, while corporation tax is 'for now… well ahead of last year'. 'As I have said many times, we cannot assume these overperformances will continue indefinitely, particularly in the context of a deeply uncertain international trading environment,' he said. 'In June, Government transferred some €3 billion in excess corporation tax… into the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, and by the end of this year, there will be €16 billion invested to help us prepare for future challenges.' Advertisement Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said gross spending of €60.5 billion represented an increase of 8.6 per cent on this time last year. 'Expenditure to this point in the year reflects sustained investment in our public services and infrastructure,' he said. 'However, to effectively manage overall expenditure for the remainder of the year, it will be important that key spending departments such as health, education and housing remain within the agreed allocation for 2025. 'Of particular note in today's figures is expenditure on capital infrastructure projects. Advertisement 'Departments have spent almost €7.3 billion to end July, an increase of over 21 per cent year on year, underscoring Government commitment to infrastructure delivery to strengthen our economy and society for the longer term. 'This is reflected in the National Development Plan review recently published by my department, which provides funding certainty for departments for the next five years and will support targeted investment in the critical, growth-enabling infrastructure projects. 'Looking at expenditure beyond 2025, I will shortly publish a medium-term expenditure framework, a multi-year public expenditure planning exercise. 'It will complement the annual budgetary process and will be used to inform future requirements for existing services, and to assess the resource implications of future policy decisions over the period 2025-30.' Advertisement
Reuters
14 hours ago
- Reuters
Irish tax take boosted by another jump in corporate receipts
DUBLIN, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Ireland collected 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion) of corporate tax in July, over three times as much as the same period a year ago in what is usually not a major payment month for the key tax category, finance ministry data showed on Wednesday. Ireland has received record levels of tax each year since 2021, mainly due to huge increases in corporate receipts and the jump in July pushed the overall 2025 tax take, excluding one-off Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab back taxes, up 7.5% so far this year. The finance ministry had expected corporate receipts, which are underpinned by a small number of foreign multinationals, to fall a touch this year but instead they were running 14% or 1.8 billion euros higher at the end of July. Ireland's huge reliance on tax paid by a cluster of U.S. technology and pharmaceutical firms has made it especially vulnerable to the tariff and tax plans of U.S. President Donald Trump. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said he believes the amount of corporate tax Ireland collects will stabilise and then begin to decline due to trade and global tax changes, but that it was hard to predict when that would happen. The corporate tax haul has handed Ireland the healthiest public finances in Europe. Growth of 3.9% in income tax receipts and 4.8% in VAT by the end of July - the other two main tax categories - left a 0.8 billion euro underlying exchequer surplus at the end of July. ($1 = 0.8598 euros)
The Independent
16 hours ago
- The Independent
Higgins praises Princess Royal's ‘significant contribution' to UK-Ireland ties
Irish president Michael D Higgins has praised the 'significant contribution' the Princess Royal has made to the relationship between Ireland and the UK, during a meeting at his official residence in Dublin. Anne visited Aras an Uachtarain in what has been described as 'a courtesy call'. The King's sister met Mr Higgins and his wife, Sabina, on her second visit to the President's residence. Anne was greeted by Orla O'Hanrahan, the secretary general to Mr Higgins, and escorted to the State Reception Room where she shook hands with the President and his wife. Anne said: 'It's a little bit warmer than our usual meetings. It's a better time of year, isn't it?' She told Mr Higgins it was 'very kind of you' after he invited her to sign the visitors' book. After asking where on the page to place her signature, she said she did not want to 'waste an entire page'. Sabina told the princess: 'You deserve a whole page.' She signed it: 'Anne. 6th August 2025.' Anne remarked how the President has been in office for 'quite a long time'. Mr Higgins said he has been in the role for 14 years but his tenure will come to an end in November. After enquiring whether they spend all their time at the Aras, the couple replied 'all the time'. 'It's a nice spot,' Anne stated. She also praised Mr Higgins and his wife for attending a number of rugby games with her. In a statement following their meeting, Mr Higgins said: 'It was a pleasure to renew my conversations with Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, and to recognise the significant contribution which she has made over so many years to the relationship between our two countries. 'I was also pleased to recognise the contribution which The Princess Royal has made to equestrian sports over the years as well as to related learning and therapy services. 'I further took the opportunity to extend my best wishes to His Majesty King Charles and to recall his unwavering support for peace and reconciliation.' Anne is attending the official opening day of the 150th Dublin Horse Show at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS). During the visit, Anne will tour a special exhibition on the history of the show and meet representatives from Festina Lente – a Bray-based charity offering equine-assisted learning and therapy services – and the Riding for the Disabled Association Ireland. The princess, who competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games in the equestrian three-day event, will also present rosettes to the winners in Class 20 of the Small Hunters competition. The British Ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, said: 'The Princess Royal's visit underscores the deep and enduring friendship between the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the significance of the 150th holding of the RDS Dublin Horse Show. 'Her Royal Highness has visited Ireland on many occasions, including as patron of the Scottish Rugby Union for their biannual Six Nations games here. 'Her visit this week reflects her lifelong interest in equestrianism and charitable work.' Mr Higgins has had significant interaction with the royal family over the course of his two terms. In 2014, he became the first President of Ireland to make a State Visit to the United Kingdom, reciprocating the State Visit made by Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland in 2011. Anne visited the Aras in February 2004 during engagements where she was greeted by then-Irish president Mary McAleese. The princess was accompanied on that private visit by the British ambassador to Ireland at the time, Stewart Eldon. Members of the royal family have visited the president's residence on several occasions, including the historic trip by Queen Elizabeth II in May 2011. She was the first monarch to visit the Republic, where she signed a guest book at the Aras and planted an English oak tree at the Peace Bell. Her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, made solo visits to Aras an Uachtarain in November 1998 and again in April 2006. During their three-day visit to the Republic in 2020, the Prince and Princess of Wales – then titled the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – had a tea party with Mr Higgins and his wife at the Aras and met one of the president's dogs, Brod.
