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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Travel
Milo Boyd

You could get paid £72,000 to move to gorgeous remote Irish islands

You could be paid up to £68,000 to live on a beautiful island and do up your house.

The Irish government is currently trying to encourage people to move to 30 islands that are far flung and cut off from the mainland.

It is hoping to keep the communities there thriving and to stop buildings on them falling into disrepair.

Included in the Our Living Islands scheme are outcrops such as Inis Mór - which was recently featured in the film The Banshees of Inisherin - and Árainn Mhór, a beautiful island off the coast of Donegal

While all of the islands are cut off from the mainland by the sea, the government wants to improve residents' access to healthcare, employment opportunities and education on these remote islands.

The location for The Banshees of Inisherin is included in the scheme (AP)

To take part in the scheme, you must own a property on the island built before 1993 that's been vacant for at least two years. The generous cash grant must be used to refurbish or restore the property.

That means you could find yourself living in a newly decorated home on a beautiful island for the cost of a derelict house.

Non-Irish people can take part in the scheme so long as they have the right to buy a property in Ireland, which requires having the right to live and work in the country.

Other measures designed to improve life on the islands includes £1.72million for minor works in communities off Donegal, Cork, Sligo, Mayo and Galway.

E-Health pods will also be rolled out on our offshore islands to give residents and families improved access to health appointments and mental health treatment.

The 10-year plan will also see investment in apprenticeships, infrastructure including as piers and roads, and upgrades of coast guard buildings.

Don't let the incentives fool you however, as even without the litany of new additions, Ireland's Islands already make for the perfect home.

You could find yourself living in a new home for a budget price (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development, said: "The aim of this policy is to ensure that sustainable, vibrant communities can continue to live - and thrive - on the offshore islands for many years to come.

"Related to that aim is our ambition that visitors to the islands can continue to experience and appreciate the unique culture, heritage and environmental richness that the islands have to offer.

"Our offshore islands and their communities are an integral part of the fabric of rural Ireland. The islands are also home to some of our most vibrant and culturally distinctive communities. They are an integral part of the State’s heritage and have a special significance in Irish culture."

The generosity of the grants has led news of the policy has go viral around the world, featuring on US outlets including CNN, Forbes and Fortune, while also reaching India and Australia.

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