Lunchtime Live

The family of a 67 year old woman with a rare disease living in a Cork nursing home have been told to remove her because of their “troubling conduct” after they raised serious concerns about her care.Carol-Ann Murphy developed a rare, but devastating neurological condition about 10 years ago.Her son, Andrew Murphy and his wife Jennifer join me on the line today.Andrew can you take me back before the diagnosis and tell me a bit about your mum...

“Think you know Spain? Think again.”That’s a slogan from a Turespaña campaign this year. It encourages tourists to embrace slower travel in Spain, visiting its “unknown and surprising destinations”.So, why do we go back to the same holiday destinations every year?Joining Andrea to discuss is Sarah Slattery, owner of Travel Expert.ie and Mark Fennel, Life Coach.

Lunchtime Live's Reasons to be Happy looks at some of the news stories that you might have missed that will leave you feeling more optimistic.98FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.This week, Andrea is joined by Dr Anthony Rafferty, Medical Doctor & Shamanic Healer at Intuitive Health and Patricia Cullen, Founder & Ultrasonographer at OvaScan to discuss if holistic practices can assist in pregnancy at all.

Sad news last night as Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, passed away at the age of 76.He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019…Joining Andrea to look back on the life of this legendary rockstar is Tabby O'Callaghan, former XFactor contestant and Claire Beck from Today FM.Image: Reuters

The Government plans to allocate €1.5 billion for tax cuts in the upcoming October Budget, but €1 billion of that will go toward reducing VAT for restaurants, bars, and cafés from 13.5% to 9%.Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed the measure aims to support the struggling hospitality sector. However, it leaves just €500 million for all other tax measures.These new plans will significantly be limiting the potential for personal tax cuts at a time when households continue to feel the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis.Joining Andrea to discuss is Deputy General Secretary Responsibility Private Sector, Greg Ennis, as well as business owners and listeners.

Paul Kenny, Ireland’s former Pensions Ombudsman and Course Leader with the Retirement Planning Council, shares invaluable insights on pension planning. He emphasizes the critical need for early planning, especially for young adults facing financial hurdles. The conversation covers the nuances between auto-enrolment and private pension schemes, highlighting employer contributions and tax relief benefits. Kenny also tackles early retirement considerations and discusses strategies for those approaching retirement, including the importance of professional advice for navigating pension complexities.

Research carried out by Oxford professor Dr Tom Crawford has determined that Bon Jovi’s ‘Living on a Prayer’ has been crowned the best karaoke song of all-time.The rock anthem has surpassed Whitney Houston's ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’.We want to know, what is your go-to karaoke song?Joining Andrea to discuss is Drag Queen, Davina George and Presenter with Spin 1038, Michaela Hayes.

Some families have witnessed sudden and unexplained regression in their loved ones with Down Syndrome.These can be things like a loss of communication, mobility, or daily living skills.So, why is this happening, and what help is there?Joining Andrea to discuss is Deputy Pete Roche, TD for Galway East, Gina Grant from Down Syndrome Ireland and listeners.

With the summer season well and truly upon us, many people are setting off on their holidays. Some by car, others by plane but are many people exploring Ireland by boat?With so many waterways across the country, what is it like to travel by boat across the country?Joining Andrea to discuss is Alex Goor, General Manager at Killary Fjord Boat Tours, Catriona Walsh, owner of Lough Key Boat Tours and Mike Clinton from The Shannon Boat Owners Club page.