€84,000 to move to Irish islands

Ireland is offering renovation grants of up to €84,000 for derelict homes on certain offshore islands, but it is not paying people simply to relocate. (gov.ie) The money comes through Ireland’s Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant: up to €50,000 for a vacant home, plus a derelict-property top-up of up to €20,000. Under the islands policy, those ceilings rise by 20%, taking the maximum to €60,000 for a vacant property and €84,000 for a derelict one. (gov.ie 1) (gov.ie 2) To qualify, the property must have been vacant for at least two years and built before 2008. Applicants must own the property or be in active negotiations to buy it, and registered companies cannot apply. (gov.ie) (citizensinformation.ie) The homes also cannot become short-term holiday lets under this scheme. Owners must use the property as their principal private residence or rent it out as a long-term tenancy registered with the Residential Tenancies Board. (citizensinformation.ie) The island measure is part of “Our Living Islands,” a 10-year national policy published on June 7, 2023 for about 30 inhabited offshore islands that are not linked to the mainland by bridge or causeway. The plan’s stated goals include reversing population decline, improving housing, expanding broadband and remote work, and improving access to services. (gov.ie 1) (gov.ie 2) Ireland’s government has tied the housing push to a broader concern about keeping year-round communities viable on islands with shrinking or aging populations. In a November 28, 2023 parliamentary reply, the housing minister said national planning policy specifically targets rural areas experiencing population decline, including many island communities. (oireachtas.ie) (gov.ie) The program has drawn global attention, but take-up has been modest. Nearly two years after launch, 29 applications had been received and 20 approved for the island version of the grant, according to figures reported in April 2025 from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. (afloat.ie) (democratonline.net) For Americans and other non-European Union buyers, the grant rules do not bar foreign applicants, but they do not waive immigration law either. Buying and restoring a house is separate from getting permission to live and work in Ireland. (gov.ie) (citizensinformation.ie) So the offer is real, but narrower than the viral pitch: Ireland will help fund the restoration of long-empty island homes if they become permanent housing, not hand out cash just for showing up. (gov.ie 1) (gov.ie 2)