Lunchtime Live

Minister for Children, Norma Foley, is today set to introduce a new maximum fee cap for childcare providers that receive State funding.
The move comes amid growing concern over the high cost of childcare, with many parents facing significant financial pressure and others unable to afford childcare services altogether. The proposed cap aims to help make childcare more accessible and affordable for families across the country.
What will this cap mean for parents, and how will it impact childcare providers?
Joining Andrea to discuss is owner of Care-A-Lot Childcare, Averil Sheehan, Presenter of Better with Money from The Irish Times, Aideen Finnegan and owner & Director of Mary Geary Childcare, Ollie Sheehan.

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…

The Government has launched a new €8,500 scrappage scheme for electric vehicles.
Its aim is to incentivize the owners of older, more polluting diesel and petrol internal combustion engine vehicles to scrap them and apply the scrappage value to the purchase of a battery electric vehicle.
It will be ringfenced for people living outside the major cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
Would this incentivize you to make the switch?
Joining Andrea to discuss is Derek Reilly from Nevo.ie, as well as listeners.

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.
Andrea will be joined by Professor Shane Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, 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 discuss dealing with pelvic girdle pain!

We are just after the June bank holiday weekend and a very busy weekend, especially in Dublin.
But after it, do we really need the bank holiday weekends? The number of accidents go up, price hikes from hotels and there’s traffic everywhere. On the other hand, it’s an extra day off work, time out with friends and family and it breaks up the monotony.
Joining Andrea to discuss this is Accountant Joe Hanahoe and owner to the Boar’s Head, Hugh Hourican.