Lunchtime Live

We’re officially in the run up to Christmas!For the next few weeks, Lunchtime Live is going to be highlighting some great Irish businesses that you can support this festive season.Let's be honest, we sometimes have too much stuff - have you ever thought about giving an experience?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Atlantic Flight Training Academy's Captain Philip Smythe, Food writer and chef from Picado Mexican, Lily Ramirez-Foran, CEO & Founder of The Paddy Box Mark Loftus, owner of The Treasure Vox Karen Tomkins and from Howth Adventures, Aileen Turvey.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Tom Douglas from the Newstalk Newsroom and Native Editor of DMG Media Sarah Jayne Tobin join guest host Anna Daly to review ‘Deep Water’!Image: Tortoise Media

Should restaurants serve smaller portion sizes to women because they need less calories?According to the head of the UK Government’s obesity programme, menus should be adapted to include smaller versions of meals that contain fewer calories, as part of an effort to drive down obesity rates.What do you think?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Professor Naveed Sattar, Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow, Professor Donal O’Shea, HSE Clinical Lead for Obesity and listeners.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Magician and Mind Reader Jamie Skelton joins Andrea to answer any of your magic questions!

This festive season, one of Ireland’s leading skin experts Eavanna Breen says needles aren’t necessary to achieve the perfect glow…She joins Andrea to discuss!

The President of the GAA has warned that we could start to lose communities if something is not done to stop people leaving rural communities.As young people leave their towns for cities, falling numbers have placed their clubs at risk of extinction.While in cities there are not enough clubs and facilities to cater for a burgeoning population…So, is the GAA becoming another victim of Dublin-centric Ireland?Joining Andrea to discuss this is President of the GAA, Jarlath Burns, Gareth Coil, Demographics Officer with Monaghan GAA, Conor O'Donoghue, National GAA Development CCC Chairperson & Meath GAA Football Development Committee Chairperson and more.

Dublin’s arts scene has been dealt another blow, as The Complex in Smithfield announces its closure this January.More than 30 artists face eviction after a planned deal to secure the site collapsed due to missing Government funding.The loss of the much-loved venue adds to growing concern over the shrinking number of cultural spaces in the city…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Vanessa Fielding, CEO & Artistic Director of The Complex, George Hooker, artist at The Complex and Dr Anthony Haughey, Artist and Lecturer at TUD Dublin and Chair of Five Stations Artist Studio Board.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

Taxi Drivers Ireland are escalating their action next week with a planned 6-day protest from Monday to Saturday.The protests will majorly disrupt Dublin City Centre and the area around Dublin Airport, as well as Cork and Galway.What implications will this have for those moving around these cities next week?Andrea is joined by taxi drivers and listeners to discuss.

When you’re renovating or building a home, there are certain things that make a big impact which you might not realise…The Home Squad are here to discuss ceilings and mouldings!Joining Andrea to discuss is Sarah Carroll (@sand.and.deliver on Instagram) and Founder and Creative Director of Arlene McIntyre Design, Arlene McIntyre.

Gift vouchers are often given as a present when we can’t think of what to get someone. Last Christmas, over 60% of people received one.However, over 20% of us have still not used our gift vouchers from last year!The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is now advising us to consider giving cash instead…So, do you use yours?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

The CSO’s Longitudinal Growing Up in Ireland survey has revealed that two in three 18 to 34-year-olds still live in their family home, often not by choice.What impact does this have on family dynamics, and on the parents who essentially have adult lodgers in their home?Joining Andrea to discuss is Freelance Journalist Niamh O’Reilly, Newstalk’s Niamh Dunne, as well as listeners.

Organ donation and transplantation save lives. It’s nearly six months since the Human Tissue Act came into effect on June 17, stating that if you are aged 18 or over, and you don’t specify otherwise, you will be considered a potential organ donor.But, what happens if, in a final act of altruism, a person wishes to go one step further and give their body to science following death?Joining Andrea to discuss is Danielle Barron, Health & Medical Journalist and Grace Vaughan, whose mother donated her body to science…

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…Image: Disney

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 discuss what is available to you in the public system.

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 Head Tour Guide at the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, Alan Buckley, who’s going to talk through some of Rory Gallagher’s best live performances!

A new RCSI study of over 4,000 Irish teenagers has found that heavy social media use, body dissatisfaction, and sexting are strongly linked to poorer mental health, especially among girls.The findings raise important concerns about how digital life is affecting young people today.How do you talk to your child about this, and the sharing of explicit images?Joining Andrea to discuss is Ollwyn Moran, Neuro Developmental Therapist & Founder of COGNI Kids, Mick Moran, CEO The Irish Internet Hotline and listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Mary Bishop, Head of Education at Grow it Yourself to answer any of your vegetable-growing questions!

Are you the type of person to not spend an unnecessary cent? Or, do you shop at every possible opportunity? There can be a fight for the money in your pocket: so, should you be a spender or a saver (or somewhere in between)?Joining Andrea to discuss is John Lowe from MoneyDoctors.ie, as well as listeners.

As the days are getting colder, we should all spare a thought for those among us that don’t have a roof over their heads on these cold nights.There are over 16,000 people living homeless in Ireland at the moment…So, how tough is it to get out of it?Andrea is joined by Marie, who has her own experience of it…

The publicly funded IVF scheme has been running for almost two years. Like any scheme, there’s criteria. You cannot avail of free IVF if you are in a same-sex couple, and you also cannot avail of the scheme if you’re a single person, or if you need to use donor sperm or a donor egg.It turns out a lot of people are excluded - is this fair?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

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 Dr. Mary Ryan, Endocrinologist and author of ‘It’s Probably Your Hormones’ to discuss how hormones can affect our mood.

Gardaí have launched a road-safety campaign focusing on things like the visibility of pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooter drivers and motorcyclists.But, some are saying that it’s a “dangerous” narrative and putting a lot of the blame on cyclists, rather than promoting safe driving.So, are the criticisms correct, and should cyclists have to wear hi-vis at all times?Joining Andrea to discuss is Editor of Irish Cycle, Cian Ginty, as well as listeners.

GP in Drumcondra Dr Brian King joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries.

Architect and Presenter of ‘Home of the Year’ Hugh Wallace has sadly passed away at the age of 68.Joining Andrea to pay tribute and remember him is Jenny Sheahan, former winner of ‘Home of the Year’, Peter Finn, better known as Pete the Builder and more.Image: RTÉ

The National Transport Authority is set to begin a phased rollout of contactless payments across TFI Local Link Services today, which is forecast to be complete by the end of 2026.However, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien told an Oireachtas Committee on Transport in June that contactless payments on Dublin transport may not be fully available until 2029…Why is this taking so long?Joining Andrea to discuss is Joshua Ellul, Member of the Labour Party and Dublin Commuter Coalition, as well as listeners.

We’re officially in the run up to Christmas!For the next few weeks, Lunchtime Live is going to be highlighting some great Irish businesses that you can support this festive season.Today, we’re focusing on toys kids may want to put on their lists to Santa.To discuss, Andrea is joined by Creator of the ‘30 Seconds’ board game Greg Dooley, Owner and CEO of Jiminy Toys Bobbi Cotter, Shop Manager of Cogs Toys & Games Alan Condon and Founder of The Toy Factory Giorgia Anile.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Host of the ‘What’s Trending in F1?’ podcast Elaine Power and Newstalk’s Laura Donnelly join Andrea to review ‘Stockton Street: Venus and Serena Williams’!Image: fwd.

Ireland’s maternity system is set for one of its biggest shake-ups in decades, as plans to phase out private maternity care begin to take shape. The move is aimed at creating a fairer, more consistent experience for expectant mothers, but has sparked mixed reactions from clinicians and patients.Supporters say it will streamline services and reduce inequality, while critics warn it removes the choice that many women want…So, what do you think?Joining Andrea to discuss is Tara Whelan, Founder of Resilient Emotions, Dr Krysia Lynch, Chairperson for the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services in Ireland, Journalist Chrissie Russell and listeners.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Impressionist Al Foran joins Andrea to answer any of your questions around comedy and impressions!

‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ is running at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from November 2025 to January 11.Joining Andrea to discuss is Tony and Academy Award–nominated Playwright, Screenwriter, and Producer behind the show, John Logan!

A new ad from the Data Protection Commission has received quite a bit of attention online.If you haven't seen it yet, basically it depicts a young girl with parents on her birthday. Strangers around her start wishing her happy birthday, with them having knowledge of her personal information such as where she attends school.It has showcased to many the risks of sharing personal information about your children online…So, do we need more attention put on this topic?Joining Andrea to discuss is Katie Makk, Presenter and Producer of the ‘Opinions Matter’ podcast, children's book writer Anne Marie O’Sullivan, Psychotherapist Bethan O’Riordan and Siobhan O’Neill White of mams.ie.

Comedian and writer Joanne McNally recently spoke on how people treat her solely based on her strong accent, particularly men…Should we ever judge people by their accents?Joining Andrea to discuss is Newstalk Reporter, Sarah Madden and Dr. Stephen Lucek, Assistant Professor in Linguistics in UCD.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

A horrific killing of a stag occurred in Newbridge House in Donnabate in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The stag, who was 8 years old, was one of 16 Irish red deer. The herd were kept fenced in for more than two decades as they are a protected species.The stag’s head was decapitated. and there is no doubt that it was a trophy kill.Nearby residents are shocked at the incident and have said nothing like this has ever happened before.What do we need to do to prevent animal cruelty like this happening?Joining Andrea to discuss is local Cllr Eoghan Dockrell, Co-Founder of My Lovely Horse Rescue Martina Kenny and John Tierney from the Association of Hunt Saboteurs.

December is around the corner, so it might be time to get your house ready for the festive season if you haven’t already…This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss Christmas decorations!Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Sarah Carroll (@sand.and.deliver on Instagram).

With Thanksgiving on today, how is the holiday celebrated in Ireland?It’s not a traditional Irish celebration, but American expats, returning emigrants, and a growing number of locals have embraced it in their own way; from turkey dinners in Dublin to small community gatherings around the country…Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad, Patti Shields, Eoin Heneghan, co-owner of the Merry Ploughman and listeners.

Bank of Ireland has announced a new pilot loan that could make it easy to trade down to a smaller home.Would you consider downsizing if the process was made simpler - or is your house your forever home? And how would it impact the market in a housing crisis?Guest host Anna Daly is joined by listeners to discuss…

For people who have ADHD, many of the biggest challenges faced by them is time management. To help people to tackle this, ADHD Ireland have set up a new six-week program. The program will help people with ADHD meet deadlines on certain projects and assignments they may have.Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Martin Finn from ADHD Ireland and Amy Fox ,who has a lived experience with ADHD, to talk about how important this program is for people.

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 guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Head Tour Guide at the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, Alan Buckley, who’s going to talk through Joni Mitchell’s album ‘Blue’!

A group of residents in Ranelagh have launched a legal challenge against the construction of the MetroLink in their area - further putting pressure on the project, and potentially delaying it even further. Should a legal challenge be allowed for large projects like these?Guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Hazel Chu, Green Party Spokesperson for Public Expenditure and Dublin City Councillor, Duncan Smith, Labour Party Whip and Fingal East TD, as well as listeners.

According to research, teens who start using cannabis before age 15 are more likely to use the drug often later in their lives.They are also more likely to develop mental and physical health problems in young adulthood compared to their peers who did not use the drug in adolescence…So, what are the long-term effects of early cannabis use?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Professor Colin O’Gara, Addiction Psychiatrist at St John of Gods Hospital & Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCD, Declan Keenan, Youth Worker in the Northeast Inner City and Nikki Hayes, DJ and Broadcaster.

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 guest host Anna Daly in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Lamy, has drawn up proposals for all Jury trials except for the most serious crimes such as rape, murder and manslaughter to be scrapped.Is that something we should do here? Or would it have a negative impact on the justice system?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Ronan Lupton, Barrister and Senior Counsel, as well as listeners.

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.Professor Shane Higgins, Master of the National Maternity Hospital, joins 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 guest host Anna Daly to discuss the differences between public, private and semi-private care…

In a recent survey, 62% of men believe that “women have too many expectations of how men should be in relationships these days”. 44% say they would have to change too much about themselves in order to make a serious relationship work long-term…Last week, guest host Anna Daly was joined by SPIN1038’s Katie Gallagher and Conzo, Comedian and Freelance Journalist to discuss the topic. Today, they join again to give an update, and discuss whether or not there is still hope in the modern dating world…

Parents face growing pressure as smartphones become a major part of children’s lives. Research from Fine Fáil shows that over 35% of children receive a smartphone between ages 11 and 13, yet only 18% of parents feel equipped to manage online risks. This gap highlights the need for better support for families.As technology use rises, parents must find ways to manage screen time and online safety, while society and schools can increase the pressure to provide smartphones simply because “everyone else has one”...So, what is the best way to tackle this? Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Host of The Opinions Matter Podcast, Katie Makk, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, guest host Anna Daly is joined by Jenny Branigan, Territory Manager for Park Run Ireland and Chartered Physio to discuss the event, and all of your park run questions!

Nightclubs across the country are becoming fewer and far between. For many, they are a thing of the past. Many hate to think of a night out where they don’t end up on a dance floor, while others wouldn’t mind if they were to disappear.What would it mean for the future of Irish nightlife if nightclubs were to disappear into oblivion, and what impact would it have on people who work in the industry?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Coillí Collins AKA DJ Shampain, DJ and Spokesperson for Give us the Night Campaign, Robbie Kitt as well as Newstalk’s Dylan Hand and Daniela Rana.

With Christmas coming in fast, many people are hitting the shops in preparation for the festive season. For some, they are checking off their list of presents nice and early, with 77% of UK consumers planning to have all of their shopping done before the end of November.So, have you already done your Christmas shopping, or do you usually leave it to the last minute?Guest host Anna Daly is joined by listeners to discuss.