After the last islanders left Scattery in 1978, a series of wealthy overseas businessmen began purchasing land on the island, and at one time there were plans to turn Scattery Island into a private leisure resort.
However, in 1989, the Irish Government purchased almost all of the land on Scattery, and today the island is owned by the Irish state, which maintains the archaeological and historical monuments and is developing the island as a heritage site for the benefit of both local people and visitors to Ireland.
One of these developments has been the renovation of one of the old island cottages into a visitor centre that houses an exhibition where visitors can learn about the island’s rich history. The centre, which is located by the pier on the island, is run by the Heritage Services branch of the Office of Public works and is open seven days a week during the tourist season (June to August).