Boats will be permitted to ferry people to and from Sceilg Mhichíl for the remainder of this summer following a ruling from the High Court.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a special protected area for bird life, was due to open to visitors on 8 May.
But legal action by unsuccessful operators in the latest competition for tenders prevented the scheduled opening.
Tours to the island, which was a location for two of the Star Wars films, are in huge demand and the business is vital to the local economy and to boat operators.
In December last year, the Office of Public Works (OPW) had a competition to award 15 permits for boat operators for Summer 2025 and onwards.
The number of permits is limited to protect the island's fragile ecosystem.
The successful applicants were contacted in late March. They can land a maximum of 12 passengers a day on Sceilg Mhichíl during the landing season.
Two unsuccessful participants in the competition brought High Court proceedings challenging the outcome. Their action, which is scheduled to last three days, will begin on 21 July.
The legal challenge acted as an effective injunction preventing permits from being issued this summer, prohibiting the OPW from entering into legally binding contracts with the successful tenderers.
The OPW made an urgent application to the court to seek permission to issue the permits for this year, which was heard earlier this week.
Mr Justice Garrett Simons delivered his ruling today, finding that the potential prejudice to the unsuccessful tenderers was outweighed by the potential prejudice to the successful participants and the local economy if no landings at Sceilg Mhichíl were to be permitted for a further six or seven weeks.
He noted that one month of the season had already been lost.
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He granted the OPW’s application to lift the automatic suspension on the issuing of permits, meaning permits can now be issued for the balance of the 2025 season.
The judge noted the issues raised by the unsuccessful applicants in relation to the granting of the tender remain open for debate at the trial of the action next month.
In a statement following the ruling, the OPW welcomed the decision and said trips are expected to begin on Saturday, subject to weather conditions.
It added: "The OPW is acutely aware of the key role the Island plays in the tourism economy of south Kerry and the wider region, and has been making all necessary preparations to reopen the World Heritage Site.
"The OPW is looking forward to welcoming visitors to the World Heritage site this season."
Today's High Court ruling has been widely welcomed in south Kerry.
Chairman of the Skellig Coast Tourism Network James Murphy said: "We are delighted to know that the boatmen able to get back to doing what they do best in bringing visitors out to the UNESCO World Heritage site Sceilg Mhichíl and it also means for all the other businesses around the Skellig Coast region that we can look forward, hopefully, to a successful season for 2025".
Fianna Fáil Councillor Norma Moriarty said, given all that has happened, she hopes the OPW would now be open to extending the season, if the weather permits.
"If we have good weather, and please God we will, I would sincerely hope that the OPW see the sense in extending the season because what we have lost to date is significant and what we would really be looking for is additional time, if the weather allows, to hit that break even point.
"It would go an awful long way towards helping people locally who depend so much on this amenity," she said.
Additional reporting Jennie O'Sullivan
