Driving growth on Scotland’s islands

Island communities will benefit from a £5.75 million boost to support critical infrastructure, tackle rising costs and accelerate the transition to net zero.

The new investment aims to address pressures including depopulation and rising fuel costs which disproportionately affect island communities.

It includes:

• £3 million through the Islands Programme, building on previous investments which have delivered critical infrastructure projects ranging from affordable homes on Shetland to upgraded airfield terminal buildings on Eday and Westray.
• £1 million for the continuation of the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund to help communities tackle increasing costs, distributed through the six island local authorities.
• £750,000 to support net zero projects as part of the Carbon Neutral Islands programme, with past initiatives including decarbonisation of community spaces in Barra and Vatersay, developing a solar farm on Islay and transport decarbonisation on Hoy.
• £1 million to support a range of projects connected to commitments made in the Scottish Government’s new National Islands Plan, including an island scholarship pilot scheme, mental health support for young people and training courses in sustainable tourism.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

“Scotland’s islands have tremendous potential and this investment in infrastructure, jobs and cost-of-living support will help island communities flourish.

“Today’s funding builds on our new National Islands Plan, published last month, which sets out targeted action to improve housing, healthcare and economic opportunities on Scotland’s islands — because when island communities thrive, the whole of Scotland benefits.”

Ionad Eilean na h-Òige (the Island of Youth Centre) on Eriskay is a previous beneficiary of Islands Programme funding. The project is transforming Eriskay’s former school into a heritage and community hub with a library, café and hot desk facilities.

Sandra MacInnes, Project Development Officer at Ionad Eilean na h-Oige, said:

“The support we have received through the Islands Programme has been a fantastic boost to the Ionad Eilean nan h-Òige project and has helped build real momentum behind our wider vision for Eriskay.

“It not only provided vital investment but also gave the project credibility and helped attract further match funding from other partners, giving funders confidence in both the strength of the project and the commitment of the community behind it.”

National islands Plan

The Scottish Government’s second National Islands Plan, published in February 2026, sets out the government’s vision for Scotland’s islands, with a focus on helping communities retain and attract residents.

The Western Isles experienced the largest population decline of any Scottish council area between 2011 and 2022. Island households often experience even more intense cost-of-living pressures than mainland areas, including higher energy costs. All dwellings in Orkney and Shetland and 89% of homes in the Western Isles are off the gas grid.

The Islands Programme is open to the six island local authorities. These are: Shetland Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Argyll and Bute Council, Highland Council and North Ayrshire Council. Since its establishment in 2021-22, the programme has made 88 grant awards in support of 55 separate islands, totalling £19.7 million.

The Carbon Neutral Islands programme will continue to support net zero projects on Yell, Hoy, Raasay, Barra, Islay and Cumbrae.

A’ brosnachadh fàs ann an eileanan na h-Alba

Maoineachadh gus obraichean a chruthachadh agus eaconamaidhean ionadail a neartachadh.

Gheibh coimhearsnachdan eileanach £5.75 millean a bharrachd airson taic a chumail ri bun-structar riatanach, dèiligeadh ri cosgaisean a tha ag èirigh, agus an t-eadar-ghluasad gu cothromachadh-carboin a dhèanamh nas luaithe.

Leis a’ mhaoineachadh ùr, thathar airson dèiligeadh ri duilgheadasan a th’ ann, nam measg call-sluaigh agus cosgaisean-connaidh a tha ag èirigh – rudan a bheir buaidh neo-chuimseach air coimhearsnachdan eileanach.

Tha na leanas mar phàirt dheth:

• £3 millean tro Phrògram nan Eilean, ’s seo a’ togail air tasgadh airgid gu ruige seo leis an deach pròiseactan bun-structair riatanaich a choileanadh – bho dhachaighean aig prìs reusanta ann an Sealtainn gu obair-ùrachaidh air togalaichean raon-adhair ann an Eday agus Westray.
• £1 millean gus ‘Maoin Èiginn airson Cruaidh-chàs nan Cosgaisean sna h-Eileanan’ a chumail a’ dol, mar chuideachadh do choimhearsnachdan airson dèiligeadh ri cosgaisean a tha ag èirigh. Thèid am maoineachadh seo a sgaoileadh am measg nan sia ùghdarrasan ionadail eileanach.
• £750,000 airson taic a chumail ri pròiseactan cothromachadh-carboin mar phàirt dhen pròiseact ‘Eileanan le Cothromachadh-carboin’. Am measg iomairtean a chunnacas san àm a dh’fhalbh, chaidh cleachdadh carboin a lùghdachadh ann an àitichean coimhearsnachd ann am Barraigh is Bhatarsaigh, chaidh tuathanas-grèine a thogail ann an Ìle, agus chaidh cleachdadh carboin ann an còmhdhail a lùghdachadh ann an Hoy.
• £1 millean airson taic a chumail ri sreath de phròiseactan co-cheangailte ri gealltanasan a rinn Riaghaltas na h-Alba ann am Plana Nàiseanta nan Eilean ùr aige, nam measg sgeama-dearbhaidh airson sgoilearachdan a thoirt seachad ann an sgìrean eileanach, taic slàinte-inntinn do dhaoine òga, agus cùrsaichean-trèanaidh ann an turasachd sheasmhach.

Thuirt an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear Ceit Fhoirbeis na leanas:

“Tha cothroman anabarrach mòr an lùib eileanan na h-Alba, agus le tasgadh an airgid seo ann am bun-structar, obraichean agus taic le cosgaisean bith-beò, faodaidh coimhearsnachdan eileanach a bhith soirbheachail.

“Tha am maoineachadh seo a’ togail air Plana Nàiseanta nan Eilean ùr againn a chaidh fhoillseachadh air a’ mhìos sa chaidh, ’s e a’ mìneachadh cheumannan amasaichte gus piseach a thoirt air taigheadas, cùram slàinte agus cothroman eaconamach ann an eileanan na h-Alba – leis gu bheil soirbheas nan coimhearsnachdan eileanach againn na bhuannachd do dh’Alba air fad.”

’S e Ionad Eilean na h-Òige ann an Èirisgeigh buidheann a fhuair buannachd san àm a dh’fhalbh ann an cruth maoineachadh tro Phrògram nan Eilean. Tha am pròiseact a’ toirt cruth-atharrachadh air seann sgoil Èirisgeigh, ’s e ga thionndadh na ionad dualchais is coimhearsnachd le leabharlann, cafaidh, agus deasgan-obrach a ghabhas a ghlèidheadh.

Thuirt Sandra NicAonghais, Oifigear-leasachaidh Phròiseactan aig Ionad Eilean na h-Òige, na leanas:

“Tha an taic a fhuair sinn tro Phrògram nan Eilean air a bhith na buannachd fìor mhòr do phròiseact Ionad Eilean na h-Òige, ’s i a’ toirt spionnadh mòr dhan lèirsinn nas fharsainge a th’ againn do dh’Èirisgeigh.

“Cha tug am prògram dìreach tasgadh-airgid deatamach dhan phròiseact – thug e creideas dha agus taic dhuinne le bhith a’ faighinn maoineachadh co-ionann a bharrachd bho chom-pàirtichean eile. Tha seo air misneachd a thoirt do luchd-maoineachaidh, an dà chuid a thaobh neart a’ phròiseict agus dìcheall na coimhearsnachd a tha an sàs ann.”

Cùl-fhiosrachadh

Chaidh an dàrna Plana Nàiseanta nan Eilean le Riaghaltas na h-Alba fhoillseachadh sa Ghearran 2026, ’s e a’ mìneachadh lèirsinn an riaghaltais airson eileanan na h-Alba. Tha e a’ cur fòcas air taic do choimhearsnachdan le bhith a’ glèidheadh agus a’ tàladh luchd-còmhnaidh.

’S iad na h-Eileanan an Iar a dh’fhuiling crìonadh-sluaigh a bu mhotha na sgìre-chomhairle eile ann an Alba eadar 2011 agus 2022. ’S minig a bhios dachaighean eileanach a’ dèiligeadh ri duilgheadasan le cosgaisean bith-beò a tha fiù ’s nas cruaidhe na an fheadhainn ann an sgìrean air an tìr-mhòr – mar eisimpleir, cosgaisean cumhachd nas àirde. Chan eil dachaigh sam bith ann an Arcaibh no Sealtainn – agus chan eil ach 11% de dhachaighean anns na h-Eileanan an Iar – a tha ceangailte ris a’ ghriod gas.

Tha Prògram nan Eilean fosgailte dha na sia ùghdarrasan ionadail eileanach. ’S iad: Comhairle Eileanan Shealtainn, Comhairle Eileanan Arcaibh, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Comhairle Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus Comhairle Siorrachd Àir a Tuath. Bho chaidh a chur air bhonn ann an 2021-22, tha am prògram air 88 grantaichean – luach £19.7 millean uile-gu-lèir – a thoirt seachad airson taic a chumail ri 55 eileanan fa leth.

Leis a’ phrògram ‘Eileanan le Cothromachadh-carboin’, bidh taic fhathast ann do phròiseactan cothromachadh-carboin ann an Yell, Hoy, Ratharsair, Barraigh, Ìle agus Cumaradh.