Lunchtime Live

Defibrillators when used are often lifesaving. With many registered defibrillators provided in towns and villages, they are a great resource.While registered, however, it can often be hard to locate. By adding these to Google Maps, residents and visitors will be able to find the nearest defibrillators in the event of an emergency…Do you think Google should make defibrillators available on Google Maps? And if so, how do we use them when needed?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Patrick Higgins, who called on the HSE and Google to work together, David Hall, CEO of Lifeline Ambulance and listeners.

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 guest host Anna Daly to discuss your birthing options when the time comes…

According to 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…Not very romantic, is it? It begs the question: is dating dead? And if it is, who, or what is killing it?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is SPIN1038’s Katie Gallagher, Newstalk’s Ciara Treacy and more.

Health insurance costs are set to rise again as the HIA plans a 10% increase in the levy that funds subsidies for older and higher-risk customers.With premiums already climbing, we ask: what will this mean for the 2.5 million people with cover, and is the system fair?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Dermot Goode, Health Insurance Expert with Health Insurance Ireland, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, guest host Anna Daly is joined by Audiologist Frank McGrath, to answer any of your hearing and tinnitus-related questions!

Christmas parties are starting, group dinners are being planned, the shopping has already started…It can be easier to feel overwhelmed in the run up to Christmas, so how do you avoid feeling burned out?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Siobhan Murray, Psychotherapist and Expert on Burnout Management.

If you or someone you know has had or is having a baby, chances are you’ve talked about the idea of ‘bouncing back’.It’s the idea that women should ‘recover’ as quickly and seamlessly as possible, even though pregnancy and birth are major, sometimes traumatic, medical events.Niamh O’Sullivan is an influencer and a new mother, and she recently posted about this, writing that she looks the same at 14 and a half weeks post-partum as she did at 20 weeks pregnant.She said even though this is “fine”, she’s jealous of women who can “bounce back” more easily.She joins guest host Anna Daly to discuss, as well as Maria O’Sullivan, Certified lactation consultant and member of Association for Improvements in Maternity Services in Ireland and listeners.

It's How I live well time! Where someone joins to discuss what they do to improve their life...This week, guest host Anna Daly is joined by Aileen Cox Blundell, Nutritionist, to talk all things Vitamin D!

We’ve all heard the stories - you ace the first interview, then the next, then another, and you’re still not sure if you’ll get the job! It seems more and more Irish jobseekers are being asked to jump through hoop after hoop to secure roles, but is all this really helping companies, or just putting great candidates off?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Tracey Keevans, Global FDI Director at Morgan McKinley, Pat McDonagh, owner of Supermacs, Moira Grassick, COO of Peninsula Ireland HR and listeners.

After a very tragic accident occurred in Dundalk at the weekend, many people are saddened and worried by the danger of Irish roads.One listener got in touch to discuss his frustration and upset at the lack of Garda checkpoints on Irish roads, despite plenty being in place during the lockdown…How do you feel? Are there enough checkpoints, or do we need to see more to prevent further accidents from occurring?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Spokesperson for the LOVE30 Campaign, Mairead Forsythe, Editor with Completecar.ie, Shane O’Donoghue and listeners.

Dr. Nina Byrnes, GP at Generation Health Medical Clinic joined Anna Daly to answer your questions.

There’s a lot of research to say that what you are called impacts the kind of life you will lead, especially if you have an unusual name.Over the last few years, there has been a rise in ‘uncommon’ names with people calling their kids Apple, North, and Peach, even!But does having a strange name have any impact on your life ?Joining Anna Daly in for Andrea was Baby Name Expert & Celebrity Name Consultant, SJ Strum, Broadcaster and podcast host, Venetia Quick, Day Magee And Matthew Matthews from Spin 1038

Miriam is a 69-year-old wheelchair user. She got in touch with  Lunchtime Live to tell the current issues she is facing with her accommodation. As a wheelchair user, her Dublin City Council apartment fails to meet her disability needs, making her housebound. She joined Anna Daly in for Andrea to discuss the impact the issue is having on her life.

It’s a moment we’ll be ‘parroting’ about for many years to come – Ireland’s World Cup dream kept alive, with Troy Parrot sealing victory in the sixth-minute of injury-time, scoring a hat-trick and securing the comeback win against Hungary, 3-2 the final score.Where were you when the goal was scored, and is this up there with Ireland’s greatest ever sporting moments?Joining Lunchtime Live were Irish football fans on where they were when that last-minute goal went in.

 On Friday, families across Ireland received school place offers.  In many areas in the country where acute population growth has been recorded, many families struggle to secure school places for their children. Despite a pilot scheme being rolled out to remove the need to apply for schools individually in towns facing shortages. Louise in Greystones joined Lunchtime live to discuss her challenges in securing a place for her child.  Louise was also joined by other listeners with similar stories and Aontú Education Spokesperson and Assistant Principal in a Secondary School in Limerick.

It’s time for the Pod Squad.Today Anna Daly in for Andrea was joined by Host of the ‘For Techs Sake’ podcast Elaine Burke and Newstalk’s Neil Kavanagh… To review the  ‘What Went Wrong’. A podcast that explores the Troubled production histories of both good and bad films.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, David Tighe, CEO of CRITICAL Emergency Medical Response joins guest host Anna Daly to answer any of your emergency response questions.

Last night, the Christmas lights on Grafton Street flickered to life, officially ushering in the festive season. And with so many of us already getting into the Christmas spirit, it’s the perfect time to talk about one of the highlights of this time of year: the magical Christmas markets across Europe!From historic town squares to sparkling winter wonderlands, we’re taking a look at some of the very best destinations for a festive getaway.Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Joan Scales, Travel Writer and Broadcaster.

Social media has played a huge part in putting Irish food and restaurants on the map, thanks to Instagrammable dishes, viral TikToks, and positive word of mouth.Many Irish restaurants depend on this free publicity to reach new diners, but growing numbers now report influencer behaviour that can disrupt service or other guests.As Irish restaurants, cafés, and markets ride the social media wave for publicity, some worry about disruption, loss of control, and whether it’s time for new rules on filming and sharing food experiences…In the age of everyone being a ‘reviewer’ - should anyone be able to record and post their experience or do venues need more control? And what is the fallout from a negative review shared online?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Eadaoin Fitzmaurice, Food Content Creator, Ciaran Kavanagh, Head Chef at Gravediggers Pub, Keelan Higgs, owner & Chef at Variety Jones and JP McMahon, Chef, Restaurateur and author.

In a spectacular show last night, the Republic of Ireland faced Portugal at Lansdowne Road. We needed to win to stay in the mix for a play-off spot for the World Cup…And win we did! It was a game full of drama, ending with 2 nil to Ireland, both goals scored by Troy Parrott, and of course, Ronaldo getting the red card.Guest host Anna Daly is joined by listeners to get their reactions to the match.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins guest host Anna Daly with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

For expectant parents, there’s already so much to think about without adding parking to the list. Unfortunately, for many families, hospital parking becomes an unexpected source of stress that they’re forced to factor into their birthing plans.Across the country, many maternity hospitals either offer limited parking, or none at all, and even when parking is available, finding a space can take far longer than it should, especially in urgent situations...Have you had a difficult experience with hospital parking when having a baby?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Journalist and mum, Aideen Finnegan, Dr Krysia Lynch, Chairperson for the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services in Ireland, Katie Makk from the ‘Opinions Matter’ podcast and Aidan Loughnane, Content Creator and Mental Health Advocate.

With the weather getting colder and colder, there are some things you might want to look out for when getting your home winter-ready.This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss prepping the house for winter!Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Kate O’Driscoll, (@victorianrathmines on Instagram).

Listener Mary got in touch with the show about an issue she has with Bord Gáis. She joins Andrea to discuss more.

The Office of Public Works yesterday announced that ‘Christmas at the Castle’ will not be returning this year or next due to Government business, and the upcoming EU presidency.Does this leave a hole in your Christmas calendar, and should we have more of an offering in the city during the festive period? Are we as a capital city lagging behind our European neighbours and even other cities in the country?And, what are some of the experiences you are looking forward to in the lead up to Christmas?Andrea is joined by Lisa O’Sullivan Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram), Trevor Darmody, Director of Winterval Festival in Waterford and listeners to discuss.

All this week, Lunchtime Live has been focusing on the renting situation around Ireland.Today, we want to look at a slightly different angle: what is the current situation for landlords in this country?Andrea is joined by Maurice Deverell, Private landlord and Member of Irish Property Owners Association and listeners to hear their experiences.

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 Billy Joel’s album, ‘The Stranger’!

The Government has confirmed it will launch a statutory inquiry into the care of children with scoliosis and spina bifida at Children’s Health Ireland.The announcement follows months of emotional campaigning by parents, including the family of Harvey Sherratt, who tragically passed away in July.Families have long called for answers about the treatment, and today’s decision marks a significant step toward accountability.Andrea is joined by Advocate with Access for All Ireland, Bernard Mulvany, Core member of the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group, Orlaith Maher Lalor and listeners to discuss…

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

From today, Ryanair switches to 100% digital boarding passes.They claim paperless boarding will be “faster, smarter and greener", but will it be “seamless”?And, has flying just become too much hassle?Andrea is joined by Eoghan Corry, Travel Journalist and Writer, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Prince William has opened up about telling his children about his wife Kate’s diagnosis. Just how hard is it to tell your kids about a cancer diagnosis, and how should you go about it?Andrea is joined by Amy Nolan, Director of Clinical Affairs with the Irish Cancer Society, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Have you ever gone absolutely bananas when your team scores that last-minute winner against an old rival? Or slouched on the couch for hours after a devastating defeat? Well, it’s not just you being dramatic, your brain is actually getting rewired in real time!A new scientific study has revealed that when football fans watch their favourite team win or lose, it’s not just their hearts racing, their brains are lighting up in very specific ways. Using MRI scans, researchers found that fans’ emotions and self-control can be dramatically affected by the result, especially when playing a rival…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Off The Ball’s Kathleen McNamee, as well as listeners.

A recent rental report released by Daft.ie shows that there will continue to be a shortage in the supply of rental properties across the country. The report shows that there has been a 21% drop in homes available to rent across Ireland this year…The demand for accommodation is so high that people who are fortunate to find a place are living in subpar housing and paying way over budget.This is very much the case for students, but what are some of the experiences and stories of those young people trying to find accommodation?Andrea is joined by Ronan Lyons, Professor in Economics in Trinity College and author of the Daft report, Newstalk’s Meghan O’Halloran, VP for Wellbeing in DCU, Lauren Joyce and listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Trichologist Carol Johnson to answer any of your hair-related questions!

Today is International Single’s Day!Are you celebrating? Or is it something that’s actually costing you?There are many joys to being single - getting to pick out your own furniture, never having to go for dinner with the in-laws, being totally in control of the TV…But then there are the obvious downsides; paying a mortgage on your own, going to events on your own, never getting to have dinner with the in-laws…Joining Andrea to discuss the ups and downs of the single life is Journalist Andrea Smith, Founder of Irish beauty brand BeautybyCED.com Claire Clarkson and more.

Canadian actress Shay Mitchells recently launched a product of Rini, face masks which are designed for kids.Her announcement has caused quite the stir and backlash online, with many saying that skin care products shouldn't be pushed towards young kids…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Professor Catriona Ryan, Consultant Dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatologists, Psychotherapist and author Iseult White, Siobhan O’Neill White of Mams.ie and more.

All this week, Lunchtime Live is focusing on renters, and the issues they face in this current housing market.Today, Andrea is joined by Lucie Cunnimngham, Founder and CEO of THE Homeshare, a not for profit enterprise, as well as listeners, to discuss the issues facing older generations who are renting…

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 John Belton from No. 17 Personal Training to discuss the power of the squat!

Across the country, we’re beginning to see more and more Irish flags flying on flagpoles, roundabouts, homes, and buildings. For some, this display represents national pride and love for our country. For others, it’s being interpreted as a symbol of anti-immigration sentiment.When you see our tricolour, what does it mean to you? Should it stand for unity and pride in the Irish people, or does its use in this context take away from the spirit of Céad Míle Fáilte - a hundred thousand welcomes?

Dr Niall Breen from the Portmarnock GP Clinic joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries.

Today, after 14 years of serving as Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D. Higgins will step down as President. Outspoken, opinionated and even somewhat controversial in his time - he was a President who loved the arts, literature and the Irish language. But, how will he be remembered?Stuart Clark, Deputy editor of Hot Press, Avril Ryan, CEO of Gaisce - The President’s Award, Leonie Cornelius, Garden Designer and author and more join Andrea to discuss.

All this week Lunchtime Live is focusing on the renting situation around the country.How tough is it to find somewhere to live? And if you do find somewhere, how expensive is it?And, is there much competition for places?We want to highlight as many of your stories as we can, so please send them to us - we’ll be covering it all week.Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss their experiences of renting.

A video surfaced online of an alleged assault of a young boy by two others in Tuam, County Galway has caused a lot of concern and criticism from the local community, and raises questions as to why this alleged attack happened in the first place…Joining Andrea to discuss is Fine Gael TD Pete Roche and Kabbier, family friend of the boy who was attacked.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Today FM’s Cathal Minogue and Editor of DMG Media Sarah-Jayne Tobin join Andrea to review ‘My Dad Wrote a Porno’ on its tenth anniversary!

Traffic congestion. Those long lines of brake lights, the endless stop-and-go, the clock ticking past your morning meeting time… we’ve all been there.But, have you ever stopped to think about what all that gridlock is really costing us, not just in fuel or frustration, but in productivity, health, and even happiness?Joining Andrea to discuss is Mark Wall, Kildare South Labour TD, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Elizabeth Oakes, Founder of Pure Reflections, joins Andrea to answer any of your questions around water cremation.

We all have them, we all use them, and some of us would rather forget them: nicknames! From childhood tags that never seem to die, to the affectionate (or not-so-affectionate) labels we pick up at work or online, nicknames say a lot about who we are, and how others see us.So, the question is - why are we so obsessed with using them?Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been out asking the public, while Andrea is joined by Independent MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and listeners to discuss.

November is Remembrance Month in the UK. In honour of this, celebrities, football teams and people around the world wear a red poppy to remember soldiers that have fought for the British army in wars of years gone by.However, not everyone is comfortable wearing the poppy, given the British Army’s history, particularly in Ireland.But. would seeing an Irish person wearing the poppy offend you, or would you feel indifferent?Andrea is joined by Aontú Leader and Meath West TD, Peadar Tóibín, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Mick Kelly of Grow It Yourself shared a story on his instagram page of his local newsagent, following an impressive revamp. But, with the new and improved look and stylish new coffee machine, came a sight that Mick did not welcome: an aisle filled with ultra processed foods and sugar-laden snacks snaking up along by the registers with the stands at what he calls ‘pester-height’ for younger shoppers. Is this every parent’s nightmare, having successfully navigated the shop and avoided the aisles specifically containing all the biscuits, sweets, crisps and chocolate - only to be hit by another row of temptation upon reaching the checkout?How do you manage to keep your kids and yourself from grabbing a bar of chocolate or a bag of jellies – are you a label scrutinizer and do you avoid all ultra-processed foods or do you think that the old saying of ‘everything in moderation’ holds weight?Joining Andrea to discuss is Grow it Yourself’s Michael Kelly, Lecturer in retail management at Technological University Dublin Damien O’Reilly and listeners.

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