Lunchtime Live

The Irish Cancer Society has voiced deep concern over alarming delays in access to life-saving chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.Patients urgently referred for breast and prostate cancer assessments are facing some of the longest wait times, despite the critical nature of their conditions.Under current healthcare guidelines, chemotherapy should commence within 15 working days of being prescribed. However, many patients were forced to wait up to eight weeks, delays that could lead to serious complications or even reduce their chances of survival.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Ziva Cussen, Patient Ambassador for Breast Cancer Ireland, Patricia McKeever, Head services at ARC Cancer Support and listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Trevor Grant, Chairperson of the Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors to answer any of your questions when it comes to getting a mortgage!

With the cost of living constantly rising, financial independence is more important than ever. But, when you're sharing groceries, bills, and a mortgage with a partner, what does that actually look like? Should you pool all your money, or keep some separate in case the relationship doesn’t work out?Joining Andrea to discuss is Claire Auchmuty, Divorce and Relationship Coach, Rebecca Reid, Author & Columnist and Content Editor with Evoke, Sinead Dalton.

Almost €19 million was raised last year from discretionary parking fees at hospitals.So, should parking charges at hospitals be abolished?Joining Andrea to discuss is Suzanne Dowd, Advocacy Officer at The Irish Cancer Society as well as listeners.

Milan’s La Scala theater has warned that they will ban anyone who shows up wearing shorts, tank tops and flip flops. Has fashion gone out the window nowadays, and are people dressing too casually for day-to-day life?Do we need to bring back suits and heels to the office or should people wear what they feel comfortable in?Joining Andrea to discuss is Newstalk Breakfast Presenter Shane Coleman, Stylist from Style Savvy Laura Jordan and Nathalie Lennon, Content Creator & Personal Trainer.

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 Mental Fitness Expert for Elite Performance, Martha Donnelly, to talk about the benefits you can get from mental strength training!

Garda recruitment numbers this year are down.They had a target of about 1,000, but numbers are looking closer to 650…So, what would make you want to become a Guard?Joining Andrea to discuss is Tara McManus, Assistant General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association, as well as listeners.

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

Last Friday, the topic of issues facing people in wheelchairs when they travel was discussed.One listener, Carmel, got in touch with her frustrations when it comes to those limitations. She, along with Tom Randles from Randles Hotel Killarney, joins Andrea to discuss…

Housing Minister James Brown has proposed changes to building guidelines that would allow for smaller, more affordable apartments.Sinn Féin has strongly criticised the move, calling it “utter madness” and accusing Fine Gael of failing to tackle the housing crisis effectively.We want to know, what do you think? Could reducing apartment size be the answer for housing?Joining Andrea to discuss is Eddie Phelan, Chartered Engineer and Managing Director of VCL Consultants in Drogheda, Architect, Artist and Lecturer in Griffith College Roisin Murphy and Ray Cooke, CEO of Ray Cooke Auctioneers.

A heatwave is coming for Ireland this week, but it’s still nice to get away – spend some time by the beach or exploring a foreign city.But apparently 72% of us haven’t booked our holiday yet for this year.A huge number of us are leaving it very late.So, are you looking for some inspiration?Joining Andrea to discuss is Ciara Mooney, Managing Director of Freedom Travel and Solo Travel and Travel Writer Megan Virgo.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Ciaran Bradley from Newstalk’s Digital team and Ellen Butler from the Newstalk Newsroom join Andrea to review ‘Stick to Football’!Image: Acast

The GAA has issued a statement clarifying the final score of Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final, revising the official score to: Tipperary 4-20 Kilkenny 0-30. The final score was initially given as 4-21 to 0-30 but has been amended...But, did this mistake change the course of the game?Joining Andrea to discuss is Tommy Rooney, Off the Ball’s GAA Correspondent, Eddie Keher from the Kilkenny GAA Supporters Club, Cathal Minogue from Today FM and listeners.

Architect and Home of the Year judge Hugh Wallace joins Lunchtime Live to share his summer memories.From travels to Zimbabwe to his favourite holiday song.Listen here for all this brilliant conversation.

Pat Carty, freelance arts journalist, joins Lunchtime Live to discuss the return of Oasis — what’s real, what’s rumour, and whether Liam and Noel Gallagher will keep it together long enough for a world tour.Listen here.

Dr Ann-Marie Creaven, psychologist at University of Limerick, joins Lunchtime Live to explore why making new friendships gets harder with age — and how to open yourself up to connection. Listeners also share how they’ve built friendships later in life, and the challenges they faced.Listen here.

Edel Carey, school liaison officer with the Irish Wheelchair Association, and Joan Carthy, National Advocacy Manager with the IWA, join Lunchtime Live to discuss the challenges of travelling as a wheelchair user. Travel agent John Galligan also joins to explain how accessibility is improving (and where it’s not).Listen here.

In this week’s Regional Roundup, Shane Beatty checks in with stories and voices from across the country.From #lovedonegal day reaching 99 million people to Bruce Springsteen's ancestral Kildare home becoming a tourist Mecca.Listen here.

Independent Senator Michael McDowell joins Lunchtime Live to argue that banning bedsits may have made housing less accessible. He’s joined by listeners who share their views on whether small, single-occupancy units should return to ease the housing crisis — or if those conditions are a step backwards.Listen here.

Pat Keville from Plantstore.ie joins Lunchtime Live to help listeners with their summer planting dilemmas, from wilting herbs to container vegetables.He’s joined by Peter Dowdall, better known as The Irish Gardener, to offer more advice on minding your indoor and outdoor plants,Listen here.

With the summer holiday season in full swing and temperatures climbing across Europe, many of us are reaching for insect repellent to avoid those pesky, itchy bites. But what exactly causes these bites, and is there anything we can do to stop them? To help us understand more, Andrea is joined by Collie Ennis, Zoology Research Associate and Biodiversity Officer at Trinity College Dublin, and Catriona O'Riordan, Pharmacist in Cork.Listen here.

Earlier this week tickets went on sale for the All-Ireland hurling semi-finals in Croke Park, with stand tickets for either day costing €60 each.  Many people have been complaining about the cost of tickets, which have increased in recent years. So, have GAA tickets become too expensive? Andrea speaks to listeners impacted by the rising prices.Listen here.

Joyce, June and Paula Kavanagh are three sisters born into a large family of ten children in the late 1950’s-early 1960’s in a disadvantaged area of Dublin, where their father sexually abused them daily from age three or four right up to their late teens.In 1989, they made the decision to bring charges against their father and, in 1990; the Irish State took a successful case against him.The sisters joined Andrea earlier to tell their story and speak about their new audiobook The Grip of Childhood Sexual Abuse to help others going through or dealing with childhood trauma.Listen here.This episode discusses topics related to sexual abuse and trauma, which some listeners may find distressing. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised, support is available. You can contact One in Four for professional, confidential help.

In this week's The Making of, we do a deep dive into The Beetles' iconic, influential and incredible Abbey RoadJoining Andrea today is Head tour guide at the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience Alan Buckley.Alan talks us through the road to Abbey Road and the ever-lasting impact this album has.Listen here.

With fast fashion increasingly under fire for its environmental impact, online retailer ASOS has taken a firm stance against 'serial returners’ This growing trend has prompted ASOS to tighten its return policies, identifying repeat offenders and warning them that their accounts could be permanently closed.  What does this mean for online shoppers who depend on these sites to find clothes that best suit them? Andrea speaks to listeners and more, listen here.

Andrea speaks to Mary Fogarty and Leoni Maher from The Cottage café in Loughmore, Co. Tipperary, who were in Leinster House campaigning for long-term government support for Ireland’s community cafés. They’re joined by café managers Louise Lawlor from the community café in Portland Row and Amy from the Priory Café and The Edge Community Café, who share how important a role these cafés play.Listen here.

98FM's Cathal O’Sullivan joins Andrea for a look at some of the good news stories of the week, including Luas 2050 plans, a crisp festival, the Devil Wears Prada sequel and where is the most popular spot to get down on one knee.Listen here.

RTE have confirmed that they won’t be broadcasting any of Electric Picnic this year. They used to have live coverage and highlights from it for several years but stopped in 2017. It's Ireland’s largest music festival -- so, should they? Listen here.

Professor Shane Higgins, Master of the National Maternity Hospital, joins Andrea in studio to answer listeners’ questions about pregnancy, fertility and maternal care in Ireland.Listen here.

Simon Calder, Travel Editor at The Independent (UK), joins Lunchtime Live to make the case for abolishing traditional airline check-ins—and what it would mean for future travel.Listen here.

Andrea speaks to consultant allergist Dr Ranbir Kaulsay about changing food habits in Ireland and the possible links to increasing allergy rates.The rising trend of mediterranean diets and other seed focused diets may lead to a rise in allergies, and potentially serious health impacts.For more listen here.

Andrea hears from listeners across the country on whether reintroducing water charges would help cut down on waste. Colin O’Byrne from VOICE Ireland joins to highlight the urgent need to fix Ireland’s water infrastructure.We also hear listener opinions, as temperatures increase and data centres contribute to overconsumption.Listen here.

Michelle Browne, divorce consultant, mediator, and author of Scars of Divorce, joins Lunchtime Live to answer listener questions about separation, legal planning, and financial issues arising from divorce.Listen here

Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, joins Lunchtime Live to break down the science of being cool.Things like comfortability in oneself, style and sense of humour are top of the list, find out what else by listening here.

Dr Akshay Deoras, research scientist at the University of Reading, joins Lunchtime Live to explain what’s behind Europe’s latest heatwave and what, exactly, is a 'heatdome.'We also hear from listeners and travellers across the continent to hear if the heat is putting people off their Summer holidays.Listen here.

Blake Boland from Dublin Bus joins Lunchtime Live to explain the nature of this antisocial abuse and behaviour across the Dublin Bus network. Suzanne O’Connor from SIPTU’s Respect Transport Workers programme also discusses the toll it’s taking on drivers and staff.Listen here.

Elaine Snowden and Melissa “Argie Bargie” join Andrea to talk about the culture, community and sport of roller derby.Listen here to hear all about the make-up of the game, where it's at in Ireland and how to play.

Seamus Mulconry from the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association speaks to Lunchtime Live about rising “voluntary” school contributions as inflation hits budgets. Listeners share their experience on the rising impact of school costs.From technology costs to school meals; are schools putting the squeeze on parents with voluntary contributions?Listen here.

Dr Louise Fitzgerald of Grafton Medical joins Lunchtime Live to answer listeners’ medical queries — from Summer allergies to prescription side effects and general health advice.Listen here

A recent study has shown that only 10% of the country is left-handed. But are Ciotog’s really smarter and more creative?  Margaret Leahy from Fable Tours joins Andrea to discuss her experience growing up left-handed and to dispel some of those myths around ciotogs.Listen here.

The BBC has said it regrets not pulling the live stream of Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set, during which a band member shouted "death to the IDF" - as Ofcom said the broadcaster has "questions to answer". A spokesperson for the corporation said the remarks by frontman Bobby Vylan were antisemetic and "utterly unacceptable", and the performance should have been taken off air. Andrea is joined by guests and attendees for Bob Vylan's set to discuss if this statement has gone too far.

Imagine what it would be like to sing Ironic, on stage, with Alanis Morissette.Well, Andrea is joined by one woman who had such a privelege Grainne Gillespie from Donegal.Listen to what that experience was like here.

Brian Burke, Naturalist and Founder of the Micro Wild biodiversity project in Blessington and Fiann Ó Nualláin, The Holistic Gardener, join Lunchtime Live to debate whether the tidy lawn is falling out of favour. Is a bit of wildness better for biodiversity — or does it just look lazy?Listen here.

Today FM's Cathal Minogue and Elaine Burke from the For Tech's Sake Podcast join Lunchtime Live to review the podcast Stalked, how a relentless campaign of online abuse derailed one woman’s life.Listen here.

Parts of the country are at risk of becoming GP blackspots as family doctors retire, according to a new report for the Department of Health.The report calls for better succession planning and more incentives for GPs in areas under most pressure.Andrea takes calls from listeners impacted by the rural decline of GP practivies.Listen here.

Designer Helen Steele joins Andrea in studio to reflect on her favourite summer memories — from holidays and music to summer jobs and more.Listen here

Mary D’Arcy, Financial Crime Lead with FraudSMART, joins Lunchtime Live following comedian Joanne McNally’s revelation that she lost thousands in a Glastonbury ticket scam. Mary shares all the best practical advice on how to avoid getting conned while buying tickets for gigs and festivals.Listen here

Stella O’Malley, psychotherapist and parenting author, joins Andrea alongside Irish Times journalist and mother of seven Jen Hogan, and Newstalk’s own Simon Tierney, to discuss how and when to start talking to your kids about sex — and why it should be an ongoing conversation, not a one-time lecture.Listen here

Chef Holly Dalton and Machaela O’Leary of the app Too Good To Go join Lunchtime Live to unpack why the average Irish household throws away €660 worth of food each year — and what simple steps we can take to cut down on waste, save money, and even shop smarter.Listen here

From Palestinian GAA clubs touring the country, to all the great gigs across the island.Shane Beaty joins Lunchtime Live to go through the regional round-up.Listen here.