Lunchtime Live

Do you decorate your house for Easter? And if so, how do you do it without being tacky?This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss Easter decorations!Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Tanya Neufeld Flanagan, Interior Designer and host of ‘The Interiors Podcast’.

The UK is looking to introduce a ‘National Pothole Patrol’ in which road repair machines will be available to tackle any potholes reported to the council.  With many people furious at the state of Irish roads, do we need to introduce something similar across the country?What are the potholes like in your area?Listener Ellen got in touch with the show, and joins Andrea to discuss.

While out walking, a dog ran out at Sinéad, Co-Founder of Intuitive Eating Hub & Healthy Habits Hub, barking and scared the life out of her.It begs the question: should dogs be allowed to go off their leads in public?Sinéad joins Andrea to discuss, as well as Suzi Walsh, Animal Behaviourist and listeners.

Listener Jack sent the show an email about serious overpacking on his train route from Westport to Dublin, and how if there was an emergency, things could go very wrong…He joins Andrea to discuss his experience.

We’ve decided to do a deep dive on some of our favourite albums to explore the stories behind them.What did the artists really think of each other? Where did the inspirations from the songs come from?Joining Andrea to discuss is Alan Buckley from the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, who’s going to talk through the life and work of Mary Black!

With transport being a massive issue in rural areas, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has announced a series of enhancements to the Local Area Hackney (LAH) license. The Local Area Hackney is a specialized license designed to improve transport options in rural communities.Would you be in favor of something like this, or would it have an impact on taxi drivers?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Calls have been made for the Connacht Football Association to review how it schedules its fixtures. This is after Real Tubber FC had to pull out of the under 18 Girls Connacht Final, because it clashed with multiple players having to do their Leaving Cert oral exams.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Louise Kilbane, who is involved with the team, and one of their players, Emma.

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…

Yesterday on the show, we heard from our callers about the lack of public toilets in towns and cities across the country. One listener got in touch to express his frustration with regards to the lack of family toilets anywhere. John has three young girls and finds it difficult to bring them to the toilet when out in public…He joins Andrea to discuss, as well as Barry Ward, Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire, Comedian Steve Cummins and 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 pain relief options during pregnancy.

We all scroll on our phones, but how can you tell whether the advice shared online is real or coming wrong?As a viral post sharing a cancer detecting pregnancy test is debunked, Andrea is joined by Laura Dowling, known as the ‘Fabulous Pharmacist’ online…

Irish MEP Michael McNamara has called for public transport to be made free in response to the ongoing energy crisis spurred by the conflict in the Middle East.With many people spending a lot of time on public transport for work and day-to-day activities, is free transport what people really want, or would we prefer to see better transport across the country?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Johnathan Hehir, Managing Director of insuremyhouse.ie to answer any of your questions on car insurance!

Great news for Céline Dion fans: she’s announced a return to stage with 10 concerts in Paris later this year!Are you a big fan? How excited are you?Joining Andrea to discuss is Singer and Songwriter Ruth Anne Cunningham Spin1038’s Katie Gallagher!

Andrea’s guest is living with an uncontrollable condition which sees him singled out when out and about. Martin Sturman suffers with tics and Tourette syndrome, and finds it impacts his day-to-day life when it comes to dating, finding work and even getting public transport…We want to know, what exactly is Tourette syndrome? And how can we become more aware of the condition for people living with it?Martin joins Andrea to share his story…

The Italian Competition Authority has announced an investigation into Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics over the alleged use of “covert marketing strategies” to promote beauty products to young girls.Experts warn that such practices may be contributing to a growing and unhealthy fixation on skincare among minors, often referred to as “cosmeticorexia”...Have you noticed your child becoming fascinated with beauty products and skincare? How can we tackle the pressures these young boys and girls are facing?Joining Andrea to discuss is Irish Independent Columnist, Mary McCarthy, Psychotherapist who offers parenting support, Behan O’Riordan and clinic owner for Kerry Hanaphy Aesthetic Clinic, Kerry Hanaphy.

It's How I live well time! Where someone joins to discuss what they do to improve their life...This week, Andrea is joined by Endocrinologist Dr Mary Ryan to discuss her new book ‘It’s Probably Your Period’, and the importance of understanding your cycle.

Can you think of the last time you used a public toilet?For many people, finding a public toilet is difficult and instead you end up nipping into restaurants instead...Now, it has been revealed that the new public toilets promised for Dublin city centre are still at a “concept stage” - nine months after six million euro in funding was announced...So, what do you think about this delay, and how much do we need public toilets?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

As we head into the Easter weekend, many of us will be taking advantage of the long break to start planning our summer getaways - from early sunshine escapes in May to well-deserved holidays later in the season.With rising fuel costs continuing to drive up the price of flights and accommodation, keeping an eye on the budget has never been more important. The good news is, there are still plenty of ways to travel abroad without overspending, if you know where to look!Joining Andrea with her top tips, savvy travel hacks, and budget-friendly ideas is Ciara Mooney, owner of Freedom Travel.

Irish Rail offers passengers a flexible ticket option, allowing them to change their booking up to one hour before departure. However, one traveler was left extremely frustrated after being denied boarding a train to Cork, despite arriving just one minute after missing his original service.So, are these flexi-tickets worth the money, and are they even flexible?Andrea is joined by Barry Kenny, Head of Communications with Irish Rail, Lochlann Gallagher, Chair of the Galway Commuters Coalition and listeners.

For many of us, pay day has just happened, and hopefully you’ve a few bob in your account, but how can you best manage it?Paul Merriman, CEO of Fairstone and Founder of Ask Paul joins Andrea with advice!

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Host of the ‘For Tech's Sake’ podcast Elaine Burke and Today FM Producer Cathal Minogue join Andrea Gilligan to review ‘Strangers on a Bench’!Image: Acast

This morning on Newstalk Breakfast, Anton spoke to Paul Crone on proposed shorter school days…The changes come after a report found the Irish curriculum is “overloaded” and should be adapted to follow the Finnish model.Joining Andrea to discuss is Cathal Crowe, Fianna Fail TD for Clare and Chairman of the Oireachtas Education and Youth Committee, Lisa Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram), Jen Hogan, Irish Times journalist and host of the ‘Conversations with Parents’ podcast and listeners.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, former Boxer and Olympic champion Michael Carruth joins Andrea to answer any of your questions!

Do you give up your seat on public transport?Have we lost all manners on public transport?Whether you struggle to stand or are heavily pregnant, you might have noticed that many people are too glued to their phones to look up and give their seat to somebody who needs it more.Joining Andrea to discuss is Hannah Saunders, PR agent and mother of 2, Kyle Butler, News Reporter and Journalist with Newstalk and listeners.

Planning permission has been granted by Donegal County Council to build a new petrol beside Creeslough site.It was here that an explosion killed ten people, including 14-year-old Leona Harper, in October 2022.Her father, Hugh Harper, joins Andrea to share his reaction…

It’s disappointment for the nation as Ireland lost to Czechia in last night’s World Cup play-off semifinal, which came down to a penalty shootout.Andrea is joined by Irish fans who made their way out to Prague to watch the match to discuss…

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joined Andrea with a roundup of some of the stories from across the country this week.

Hospital food has long had a poor reputation. Many patients feel that meals served on the wards are bland, unappetizing, and lacking the nutrition needed to support recovery.However, not everyone shares this view. One of our listeners had a very different experience, describing the food as both high-quality and generous, so much so that he believes patients should contribute a small fee of just €2 per day to have it.Robert got in touch to share his positive experience at Mayo University Hospital, and joins Andrea, along with Heath Correspondent with the Irish Examiner, Niamh Griffin, Advocate with Access for All Ireland, Bernard Mulvany and listeners to discuss.

If you want to decorate the walls of your home, what kind of art should you put on display?This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss picking artwork for your home!Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Interior Stylist Sarah Doyle of Retwiggd.

If you’re not 100% clued in to what’s happening tonight - what can you expect from the Ireland vs Czechia match? What are the things you need to know?Joining Andrea to discuss is Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill!

Síomha Ní Ruairc recently stated that she would not be sharing her newborn daughter’s name or image.‘Sharenting’ seems to be an increasingly important conversation, so would you share your child’s identity online?Joining Andrea to discuss is Elaine Burke from the ‘For Tech's Sake’ podcast, Katie Makk from the ‘Opinion Matter’ podcast, Jen Hogan, podcast host,  Journalist with the Irish Times and mother of 7, as well as listeners.

The Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association (IMNDA) is inviting people across Ireland to put the kettle on and host a tea party this March as part of its annual ‘Drink Tea for MND’ campaignLorraine Kelly Donnelly from Garristown, North County Dublin, was diagnosed with MND in July 2025. She, along with her husband Cormac, joins Andrea to share her story…

We’ve decided to do a deep dive on some of our favourite albums to explore the stories behind them.What did the artists really think of each other? Where did the inspirations from the songs come from?Joining Andrea to discuss is Alan Buckley from the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, who’s going to talk through Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’!

Thousands of Ireland soccer fans have descended on Prague ahead of the big match tonight...So, as Ireland gets ready to take on Czechia tonight, what's the atmosphere like there ahead of the game?Andrea is joined by Irish fans to find out!

World Cup fever has certainly kicked off as thousands of Irish fans make their way to Prague ahead of the play-offs tomorrow.Henry McKean has followed the fans from Dublin Airport, Josh Crosbie has been to Portland Row to speak with family and friends of Troy Parrot and Andrea is joined by Noel Anderson, from the Grandslam bars group - all to get a sense of the excitement!

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…

Paid leave for miscarriage will come into effect on the 6th of April in Northern Ireland. This will mean that the North will be leading the way as one of the first places in Europe to ensure paid leave for miscarriage.The paid leave will cover both partners and include any stage of pregnancy.Should we follow suit and introduce this here in the Republic?Joining Andrea to discuss is Siobhan O’Neill Whyte from Mams.ie, Tracey Carroll, Vice President of Safe for Birth Ireland, Fianna Fáil Senator Catherine Ardagh and 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 what to know if you exercise during pregnancy.

Do you dread seeing a wedding invite drop in the door due to how much it’s going to set you back?Sinead Ryan, Presenter of the Home Show and Columnist with the Irish Independent, Wedding Planner Lyndsey Moynagh and Newstalk Reporter Josh Crosbie join Andrea to discuss the cost of being a wedding guest.