It's reality TV for our times. In Living Lightly, a new six-part series on RTÉ1, starting at 7pm on Tuesday, Irish Timesjournalist Conor Pope and Ella McSweeney go to the aid of three struggling families who are spending beyond their means and struggling to adjust to the new economic realities.
Each family has their own set of problems. Des and Mary O'Connor, from Longford, need to learn how to say no to their four daughters; Paul and Maria McGregor, from Howth, are about to celebrate the arrival of their fourth child, a pricey business at the best of times; and Laura and Dave Murray McArdle from Stepaside, Co Dublin, have three children and have seen their once comfortable life change rapidly for the worse, and need to figure out how to economise. Along the way – all going well – food bills will be cut, and €1,800 cappuccino habits will be ditched (hopefully that'll put an end to those sleepless nights).
Ciaran Murray