PEOPLE ALREADY LIVING on offshore islands may have to leave and others who want to move there feel unable to do so over concerns about housing supply and affordability, according to new research.
The findings from a major new study into housing need on the islands will be outlined at a historic Oireachtas Committee due to be held on Arranmore Island off the Donegal coast today – the first time official Oireachtas business has been held on an off-shore island.
Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann‘s Housing Survey of Ireland’s Offshore Islands gathered the views of 611 respondents, 530 of whom are already living on the islands, either as homeowners (268), renters (97) or second home owners (130).
The full report – carried out by Dr Siobhán O’Sullivan and Dr Conor Cashman of University College Cork – is due to be published in the coming weeks and will recommend that government consider establishing an approved housing body (AHB) with a specific focus on the islands.
According to the findings to be presented to the Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands on Arainn Mhor, renters are most under pressure when it comes to their future plans, but the availability and affordability of property is seen as a significant barrier to remaining on or moving to the islands, alongside issues over planning permission.
According to the study: “A majority of full-time residents that are likely to move from their current home within the next five years want to remain on the offshore islands.
“For those respondents indicating they are likely to move away from the islands, the majority stated that their decision is influenced by the housing situation on the islands.
“The housing barriers to remaining include availability of houses/property for sale and cost of houses/property for sale; Renters also identified lack of available rental accommodation; Affordability is a key issue; and Similar percentages of both homeowners (51%) and renters (48%) also identified being unable to get planning permission as an issue that would prevent them from remaining on the islands.”
Of the survey respondents, 44% related to the Galway islands and 31% were linked to the Cork islands, with 14% from Donegal and 11% from Mayo.
It found that fewer renters believed their current home was suitable to their needs, compared to homeowners (65% vs 80%). It also found that 79% of renters stated that they are very likely or likely to move in the next five years.
“Security of tenure and property sale were also key reasons for likelihood to move for renters, as were reasons relating to the state of repair of the property,” it said.
Second home owners said improved infrastructure, services and access would influence their decision to move to the islands permanently, while former island residents said ‘lack of available houses/property for sale’ and ‘unable to obtain planning permission’ are issues potentially preventing them from returning to live on the islands.
Derelict properties were also seen as a problem and as an “underused option” in the context of lack of available housing for younger generations.
The study – the first of its kind – follows initial research published late last year into housing need on the Co Cork islands, which highlighted an existential threat to sustaining and developing communities there.
Máire Uí Mhaoláin, CEO of Comhar na nOileán CTR, said this was still the case for all the islands.
“It is still an existential threat to all of the Irish islands, some more than others,” she said. “We cannot take our eye of the ball with any of them”
Dr O’Sullivan, who is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy in the School of Applied Social Studies at UCC, said: “People would like to stay [on the islands] but don’t feel that possibility would be open to them because of the housing situation.”
Recommendations include a specific action plan on housing on the islands and the possibility of a community-led Housing Association or Approved Housing Body. It also said community voices need to be heard as to the planning permission process and outcomes, with Comhar na nOileán/Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann to seek to provide input to the planning guideline updates.
Uí Mhaoláin, who said she was “not surprised” by the findings of the survey, said the proposal of a specific AHB would be explored in the coming months.
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