Lunchtime Live

Nearly €450,000 was spent on an ad campaign to entice Irish builders to come home. Ads were posted on billboards and on social media with tag lines like ‘You’ve built Sydney, now come and build back home’.Is this money well spent? Or an enormous waste when housing targets here aren’t being met?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

As Halloween week creeps in, many people are getting into the spirit by settling in for a good scare with their favorite horror movies. For some, that means spending most of the film peeking through their fingers, bracing for whatever terrifying moment might jump out from the screen.Well, if you are in any way anxious, scary movies may be your best friend. Research carried out has discovered that fictional tales of terror may bring some psychological benefits, including reducing the anxiety we feel about events out in the real world.Would you watch a scary movie if it reduced your anxiety?Joining Andrea to discuss is Dr Sarah Cleary, Karen Beckett, Chartered Psychologist and Researcher and Patrick Osborne, author and Screenwriter.

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…

Kildare Freelance Photographer Aisling Hyland posted on Instagram in recent days to voice her disgust over the lights being switched off at both Camogie and Football Ladies County Finals in St. Conleth’s Park…She joins Andrea to discuss, as well as Deirdre Hurley, Chair of Laurence's Ladies, Ciara Wheeler, St. Laurence's player, Niamh Tallon, Founder of Her Sport and Róisín Forde, Maynooth Camogie player.

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.Andrea will be joined by Professor Shane Higgins, Master of the National Maternity Hospital, to cover every area of trying to have a baby. From the very start of knowing how to prepare, right up to pregnancy – and all the bumps in the road in between.This week, Shane joins Andrea to answer some listener questions!

With Halloween week well underway, many parents and children are decorating their homes and prepping their costumes to take to the streets on Friday night to Trick or Treat.The dreaded fear for most parents is just how many sweets their children will consume on Friday night. Is there a way to manage the amount of sugar our children will eat this Halloween?Joining Andrea to discuss some healthy tips for this spooky season is Siobhan Berry, known on Instagram as @mummycooks.

Noel is the primary carer for his father. After becoming his father’s carer, he had to reduce the amount of hours that he works so he can spend time at home looking after his dad. Noel works 18.5 hours per week. He has no option but to work remotely so he can be there when his father needs him. Noel has since received a letter from the state to say that he owes them €22,000, as they have told him that he works more than the 18.5 hours…Noel joins Andrea to discuss his story.

Dermot Wells, Head of Health & General Insurance at Cornmarket, dives into the complexities of health insurance. He discusses the recent spike in premium prices and common pitfalls consumers make during renewal. For younger listeners, he recommends a specific plan tailored for a 25-year-old female, while addressing transitions for young adults off their parents' policies. Dermot also clarifies how age impacts premiums and explains waiting periods for first-time buyers. Plus, get tips on negotiating and navigating renewal confidently!

You may have heard this shocking story over the weekend, as well as the video that accompanied it.It shows two Drag Queens recording a video during Cork Jazz Festival where they are being homophobically abused...They are Krystal Queer and Lucina Schynning, and they join guest host Anna Daly to discuss.

Today, we're diving into the world of live music and concert-going, and asking you: How much would you be willing to pay to watch your favourite band? Has dynamic pricing crowded you out from getting to a gig – and have escalating costs changed the atmosphere in the crowd? For many, live music is the ultimate experience. But, how much are you really paying for the love of music?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Jess Spencer, Presenter with Spin 1038, Dave Hanratty, Host of The ‘No Encore’ music podcast, Freelance Journalist Kate Henshaw and listeners…