Lunchtime Live

New research carried out for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has shown that almost three-quarters of people in Ireland believe the country’s wealth is unfairly distributed.It comes as almost half of respondents said they were concerned they would not be able to pay their bills over the year ahead.The findings have now put added pressure on the Government to incorporate energy credits in next month’s Budget as a way to tackle these concerns.So, do you think these energy credits should be included in the 2026 budget?Joining Andrea to discuss is Irish Times Consumer Journalist, Conor Pope, Stephen McMahon from the Irish Patients’ Association and listeners.

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

A UK study has suggested that the wordier your apology, the more effective it is.The British Journal of Psychology has said that if you want to truly convince people that you are sorry, then longer words make you sound more sincere.Do you agree?Joining Andrea to discuss is Leslie Shoemaker, Counselling Psychologist and Lecturer in TU Dublin and Mary McCarthy, Irish Independent Columnist.

There's been a noticeable rise in the number of Irish adults without any retirement plan in place. Recent research from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) shows that one in four people are unprepared for retirement…So, what’s going on? Do people simply not care about their financial future? Or has the rising cost of living made it nearly impossible to put money aside?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Learner drivers who have not passed their driving test after seven years will be required to take additional driving lessons in order to go back on the road, according to new proposals by the Government.Is this fair?Joining Andrea to discuss is Minister of State for Transport & Independent TD for Galway East, Seán Canney, as well as listeners.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Broadcaster Padraig Wilson McCarthy and Host of ‘What’s Trending in F1?’ podcast Elaine Power join Andrea Gilligan to review ‘Maintenance Phase’!

Later this month, Croke Park will be full of American Football fans as the Minnesota Vikings, and the Pittsburgh Steelers go head-to-head. This will be the first time that Croke Park has ever held an event of this caliber.With many people heading to the 80,000-seater stadium, fans will have a privilege that many GAA fans have not had before. They will be allowed to drink alcohol in their seats.The long-standing rule in Croke Park prevents fans from bringing alcohol into the stands. In this event, however, this rule will not apply.Should this change be a permanent one? Or should we keep alcohol out of the stands?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Psychic Medium Felicity McCann joins Andrea to answer any of your other-wordly questions!

There are no boring Irish people. That was the claim made by Alicia Silverstone whilst appearing on Rob Lowe’s podcast this week.Ireland’s known for its storytellers, wit, and charm, but is it all just a flattering myth? Or is there something in the culture that makes dullness rare? Is this claim ridiculous or true?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss!

We often talk about the struggles women go through when they become a mother, and rightfully so, they undergo huge physical and mental transformations when they become a mother.But, more often than not, new dads tend to struggle with their mental health and the new changes in their roles and responsibilities. Do they get enough support?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

A new incentive is encouraging tourists driving in the highlands to display T-plates. The green tourist plates will be rolled out in a bid to reduce the number of accidents on Scotland’s roads.It comes as many accidents occur due to people being inexperienced with driving on the left-hand side of the road.Is this initiative something Ireland should do too?Andrea is joined by Minister of State & Independent TD for Kerry, Michael Healy Rae, Brenda Bolger from the School of Motoring in Kilkenny and listeners to discuss.

From the best burgers to new weddings, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

There have been over 1,400 verified incidents on airlines where alcohol was involved, according to the Irish Aviation Authority. That is three times more than what occurred in 2023. So, what is the solution? Should alcohol be banned on flights?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

When you want to add a bit of luxury to your home, how do you balance the budget, and avoid making things look gaudy?Well, the Home Squad are here to talk about adding luxury!Joining Andrea to discuss is Arlene McIntrye, Creative Director of Ventura Design and Sarah Twigg Doyle, Interior Stylist & Design Colour Consultant.

An Post has unveiled a tribute stamp to Irish boy band Westlife, but left out founder member Brian McFadden.The stamp celebrates 25 years of the band, but was it right to leave Brian out?Joining Andrea to discuss is Broadcaster & Westlife fan Clare Ronan, Ronan McGreevey, Irish Times Journalist and Historian and Newstalk’s own Laura Hannon.

Irish grandmother Donna Hughes-Brown, a resident of Missouri who is married to a US Navy veteran, is being held in isolation in a detention centre in Kentucky operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.She was detained following a July visit to Ireland, when they attended a funeral and visited family in Cork and Drogheda.Her husband Jim Brown joins Andrea to discuss what is happening.

RTÉ is considering withdrawing from Eurovision 2026 over Israel’s participation.Do you support this decision? Should Ireland not take part if Israel is involved?Joining Andrea to discuss is Chair of the Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovision Zoe Lawlor, President of Ireland’s Eurovision Fan Club Frank Dermody, Newstalk’s Henry McKean and more.

Emmy Nolan is a young Carlow actress who everyone is talking about. The 10-year-old plays a pivotal role in the new Warner Bros movie, ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’.Andrea is joined by Emmy and her mum Shauna Ray Lacey to discuss what it was like to be in the film.

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 Hozier’s first album: ‘Hozier’!

US Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead at Utah Valley University yesterday. Video footage circulating across various social media platforms shows the 31-year-old father of two being shot in the chest when on stage.Known for his combative college campus appearances, the footage shows the moment the gunshot was fired, and you can see Kirk bleeding profusely.How are these videos allowed to be uploaded to social media sites like TikTok and X, and why are they still circulating hours after the incident occurred?Andrea is joined by Ronan Lupton, Barrister and Senior Council, Stephen O'Leary, Founder of Online News Media and Social Media Monitoring and Analysis company Olytico and listeners.

Today celebrates the 6th consecutive year of #LoveDonegalDay, and what better way to celebrate by getting some of our favorite Donegal voices on!Joining Andrea to discuss is Newstalk’s own Ciara Doherty, Kevin Dooher, Content Creator and Photographer and ‘Donegal Daddy’ Michael!

Cancer Revolution, a new exhibition in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, explores the history and origins of cancer.It covers everything from fossil records of cancer in dinosaurs to today’s cutting-edge breakthroughs in immunotherapy and genetics.The research done to discover this kind of science is helping to pioneer future medicine.Luke O'Neill, Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin and one of Cancer Revolution’s ambassadors joins Andrea to walk through the exhibition!Image: Breakthrough Cancer Research

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…

UNICEF has released a new report looking at global diabetes. The report shows 1 in 5 primary school children are overweight or obese in Ireland, with the figure rising to 1 in 4 in DEIS schools, where children are more likely to experience socio-economic disadvantages.With the cost of living on the rise and technology for children more prevalent than ever, how do we tackle this problem?Joining Andrea to discuss is Dietician Sarah Keogh, Teacher John Sharpson, Content Creator & Personal Trainer Natalie Lennon and more.

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 you can expect at your 20 week scan…

Yesterday, we spoke about Traitors Ireland and why we as a nation, and why we love it so much. Well today, Andrea is joined by two very special guests!Eamon McGrath and Katelyn Divilly, two of the contestants, join to talk all things Traitors! Be warned, there will be spoilers!

On Newstalk Breakfast yesterday, Tánaiste Simon Harris said he was “open to considering” tax breaks for developers.But, is this a viable solution to the housing crisis?Joining Andrea to discuss is Clement Herron, Real Estate Agent in Portlaoise, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Joey Donnelly from Crofton Motors to answer any of your motoring questions!

Listener Stacey got in touch with the show with a massive issue she is facing. Her daughter’s specialist chair has snapped, and is currently held together with glue while they have been waiting for a seating assessment since March of 2024…Stacey joins Andrea to discuss more.

The only thing everyone seems to be talking about is Traitors Ireland, and before you listen to this podcast, there will be spoilers! So, if you haven’t seen it, now is the time…From betrayal, to laughs to the glamour and style from Siobhán McSweeney, we just cannot seem to get enough of it!But, why do we love it so much?Joining Andrea to discuss is Sophie Byrne, Showbiz Correspondent for Goss.ie, Mikie O’Loughlin, Showbiz Correspondent at RSVP, Broadcaster Mairead Ronan and more!

Artists are waiting to see if they will be eligible for Basic Income for the Arts scheme in 2026. The scheme offers €325 a week to 2,000 people in the arts in Ireland...The pilot project, which was first launched in 2022, will help to keep artists in employment and avoid some of Ireland's top performers from leaving the industry in pursuit of other careers.With the 2026 budget talks currently ongoing. Many artists await to see whether this scheme will continue and what will unfold if it doesn’t.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Business Development Manager for audio-visual, creative and cultural sectors Willie White, Harpist from Dundalk Rosie Murphy and Labour TD and Spokesperson on Arts, Rob O’Donoghue.

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 Grainne O’ Driscoll from Grá for Fitness in Tramore to discuss yoga and pilates!

Tánaiste Simon Harris spoke with Newstalk Breakfast this morning on how he is dealing with threats towards his family. It comes after three bomb threats were made to the Fine Gael leader’s home over the weekend…Despite the ongoing threats towards his family, Harris is still showing up to work and is “trying his best to get on with his job”.Is this harassment and abuse completely out of line, or are public figures always at risk of threats?Joining Andrea to discuss is Martin Kenny Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson & TD for Sligo/Leitrim, Mick Clifford Special Correspondent with The Irish Examiner, Stephen Breen, Crime Editor with The Irish Sun,Journalist Aoife Grace Moore, Social Media Content Creator Charlene Murphy and Fine Gael TD Barry Ward.

Dr Nina Byrnes, GP at Generation Health Medical Clinic joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries…

Comedian Claire Roche got in touch with the show after she received an advertisement on Instagram for an AI girlfriend. The ad says, “AI girlfriend with no limit, tell me what you really want sir”...Claire believes the algorithm on her phone may have thought she was a man from hearing her husband's voice around the house, and as a result she received this ad.Should AI be allowed to promote such content and does it incite violence against women? What are your thoughts?Andrea is joined by Claire, as well as Dean McDonald, Lecturer in Cyberpsychology, to discuss.

Housing targets are to be missed every year for the next five years, officials have warned.The Department of Housing claims that by 2028, output will fall below current levels of 32,000.This is despite the target being an average of 50,500 homes to be delivered per year.So, is there any hope for young people to buy a house in Ireland?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

More and more people have been house and pet sitting to avoid high rent prices across Ireland.There has been a steady increase in people opting for this since 2022, and so far in 2025, more than 7,000 house and pet sits globally have been for longer than 29 days.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Aoife CodyKane, a Freelance Journalist who has been housesitting for almost a year. Also joining to discuss is Aleksandra Schmidt, Creative Director and Photographer and Suzi Walsh, Pet Behavior Expert.

A small black pouch, containing a mirror, razor blade, snorting tube, vial and metal spoon can be bought on Talbot Street in Dublin to help people to take cocaine.The ‘snuff kit’ which costs 18 euro is one of the many drugs paraphernalia that can be bought in store.With products like this being so widely accessible across the city center, it is no surprise that drug use is on the rise and why we see so many people taking these drugs in open spaces.Should paraphernalia like this be banned, and do we need to clamp down on drug use in general across the country?Joining Andrea to discuss is Chrisy, former drug squad officer, as well as listeners.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Newstalk’s Ellen Butler and Rory Galvin join Andrea Gilligan to review ‘Sea of Lies’!Image: CBC

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Franks Greaney, Newstalk's Court Correspondent and host of ‘Inside the Crime’ joins Andrea to answer any of your court coverage questions!

Ronan Keating has revealed Boyzone will “try” to reunite in 2026.Speaking on BBC Radio 2, Ronan Keating says the bandmates have all been chatting over the last few weeks, and  2026 might be a year for Boyzone to "maybe try and do something…"So, do you want to see the group get back together?Andrea is joined by Mikie O’Loughlin, RSVP Magazine Showbiz Editor and Showbiz Editor for the Sunday World Eddie Rowley to discuss.

Dr Asif Iqbal, a Pakistani Doctor, was attacked on his way to his shift in the Emergency Department - being told to “go back home”...He joins Andrea to discuss what happened.

Are you one of those really early risers?The smug ones doing yoga on a green somewhere at half 5 in the morning?What possesses you?Joining Andrea to discuss is Greg Walsh, Yoga Instructor with Temple Bar Yoga, Sports and Exercise Scientist from Mulligainz Fitness, Oisin Mulligan and listeners.

From GAA club bottle collecting to a festival for hot air ballooning, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

Minister Patrick O’Donovan has called for the VAT not to be cut to 9% in the 2026 Budget for hotels. It comes after he said, “hotels are robbing people up to the eyeballs”.With concerts as big as Taylor Swift and Oasis bringing fans in their drones, hotels are being accused of price gouging.Do you agree with the Minister? Should hotels be entitled to a VAT cut?Joining Andrea to discuss is Director of Skylon Hotel in Dublin, Michael Lennon, Owner of the Lansdowne Hotel in Kenmare, Aeleen Hanley as well as listeners.

How do you choose colour in your home? When do you go bold, how does colour impact a space and everything in between?Well, the Home Squad are here to talk about picking the right colour for you!Joining guest host Mairead Ronan to discuss is Róisín Lafferty, Founder & Creative Director of Róisín Lafferty Design House and Sarah Carroll (@sand.and.deliver on Instagram).

Listener Catherine got in touch with the show to share her experience of the M50, where she says that dangerous and reckless driving is now a daily sight…So, is enforcement slipping — or is it just our perception? How big of a problem is dangerous driving?Catherine joins, as well as Shane O’ Donoghue, Editor of CompleteCar.ie, guest host Mairead Ronan to discuss.

Suicide is the highest cause of death for young people in Europe.It has increased in women under 20, though men are more than 3 times more likely to die by suicide than women…So what’s causing it? And what can we do to help more?Joining guest host Mairead Ronan to discuss is Dr Patricia Byrne, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Chris Sherlock, Author, Mental Health Advocate and Antibullying Campaigner and listener Millie.If any of these issues have affected you, you can phone the Samaritans on 116 123.

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 Mairead Ronan to discuss is Newstalk’s Ciara Treacy, who’s going to talk through Amy Winehouse’s ‘Frank’!

Reality TV Star Kim Kardashian sparked a debate when she gave her views on homework.She said that it should be done away with, after appearing on Kai Cenat’s Mafiathon 3 Twitch live stream on Monday.Do you agree, should homework be scrapped?Guest host Mairead Ronan is joined by Kayleigh Trappe, Content Creator & Teacher, Lisa O'Sullivan Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram) and more to discuss.