Lunchtime Live

The Vintners Federation of Ireland has called for a 40% rebate in excise on pints of beer sold in pubs.They say a rebate on draught beers would help protect rural pubs as the sector struggles with high costs.What do you think?Should rural pubs be given a tax rebate?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Petmania Pet Store is hosting their inaugural ‘Ruby Heart Awards’ in which, among other categories, they will honour pet-friendly workplaces.One of the suggestions of how a workplace might be more pet-friendly includes offering employees pet bereavement leave.What do you think?Should businesses offer so-called ‘pet-ernity leave’?Caroline Reidy, Managing Director of the HR Suite, and HR & Employment Law Expert, Declan O’Keefe from Dec’s Pets, a pet care retailer in Wexford as well as listeners join Andrea 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 General Secretary of the Gaelic 4 Mothers & Others in Ranelagh Anne, Marie Genin, as well as player Monika Kurowska Tazbir. It’s a fun, non-competitive way for women to get active, meet new people, and enjoy Gaelic Football, no matter their skill level!

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

Kanye West’s track ‘Heil Hitler’ was swiftly removed from major streaming platforms in recent days, raising questions about censorship, platform responsibility, and the limits of artistic expression.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Alan Buckley, Head Tour Guide at the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum and Dave Hanratty, Podcast Producer at the Independent and Host of the ‘No Encore’ Podcast.

Two teenage boys tragically died after drowning off the coast of Buncrana at the weekend.Matt Sibanda, 18, and Emmanuel Familola, 16, were playing football on Saturday when they went into the sea to retrieve a ball.Tributes have been pouring in from the Taoiseach and locals.Local Sinn Féin Councillor Jack Murray and more join Andrea to discuss.

As the cost-of-living rises, I’m desperately clinging to the ‘frivolous’ spending that gives me joy, so says Saoirse Hanley, writing in the Independent.Saoirse joins Andrea, along with Newstalk’s Ciara Tracey and Financial Adviser behind askpaul.ie, Paul Merriman, to discuss.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Laura Donnelly from the Newstalk Newsroom and Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill join Andrea to review Comedian Katherine Ryan’s ‘Telling Everybody Everything’.Image: Acast

Tributes have flooded in for Garda Kevin Flatley, who was killed on Sunday while trying to flag down a motorcyclist at a speeding checkpoint.The father-of-two, who had served in the force for 26 years, was conducting speed checks in Lusk, Co Dublin, when he was struck by the motorcyclist.The Taoiseach, Tánaiste, President and more have paid tribute to Mr Flatley, with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris calling for a “reset” on road safety.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Stylist Corina Gaffey joins Andrea to answer any of your questions when it comes to styling the stars!

As the date has closed for late CAO applications, a lot of people will be wondering what their future holds…But, the path isn’t always straight and obvious, there are many ways to skin a cat!Joining Andrea to discuss is one half of the ‘Talking Bollox’ podcast, Calvin O'Brien and Brian Mooney, Guidance Counsellor, Irish Times Columnist and Editor of Education Matters Yearbook.

Andrea is joined by the experts - tradespeople sharing simple DIY jobs you can safely tackle at home. Quick fixes, smart tips, and what to leave to the pros.Pete the Builder, Martin Glynn, Chief Executive of the DIY Academy and Painter Oisin Butler join to discuss!

If you’re looking for some healthy inspiration of any kind, then we have the guests for you!Wellfest is kicking off this weekend: Europe’s largest outdoor health and wellness festival, and there’ll be loads of amazing experts giving talks…Andrea is joined by three people attending: Sex Educator Jenny Keane, Jennifer Rock, The Skin Nerd and Dancer Lapree Lala.

From beach jobs to headbutts, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

Dublin city centre’s only public toilets, installed at the top of Grafton Street five years ago, are to be shut.Dublin City Council say they have decided to remove the facility – which costs almost €400,000 a year to operate, due to reduced demand.What do you think about the public toilet situation in Dublin? And, indeed, throughout the country?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

With the gorgeous weather, you might be dreaming about weekend breaks…Well, the Home Squad are here to talk about all things campervans and holiday homes!Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ and Roisin Lafferty, Founder & Creative Director of Roisin Lafferty Design House.

A new maths app is taking Ireland by storm!Andrea is joined by David Carr, Founder of the maths app Pi-Squared, to explore how his app is reshaping maths learning through technology, and what inspired its creation.

Over the last week, pressure has been increasing on the Camogie Association to reverse the rules around mandatory skorts.Today, the Camogie Association has called a special congress to vote on the issue…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Sinéad Wylde, Dublin Camogie Player.

Support for Ireland’s membership of the European Union has dropped to its lowest level since 2013, according to a new opinion poll.The European Movement Ireland poll by Amarach Research found that 34% feel the EU is not upholding its core values, and 26% are dissatisfied with its direction.What do you think? What, do you feel, has the European Union done for Ireland?Andrea is joined by Kieran Allen from the Irish Neutrality League and more to discuss.

Mobile saunas have really grown in popularity in Ireland in recent years.Local authorities seemingly have no uniform bylaws to facilitate, license and regulate these businesses.Wexford has a ‘blanket ban’ on applications for mobile beach-side saunas, while Kerry is licensing two on a pilot basis.Is lack of clarity threatening to kill off this business in Ireland?Joining Andrea to discuss is Cllr Joe Sullivan, Fianna Fail Councillor in Wexford, Chris Mortimer joins us on the line from Sweathouse.ie and Cllr Deirdre Ferris, Sinn Fein Councillor in Kerry.Image: Sauna Experts

Food waste is something that affects our wallets, our environment and our kitchens…Well, joining Andrea to share practical tips, surprising facts and simple habits to help you waste less and save more is Sophie Truman from Too Good to Go!

This evening there’s a march in Dublin against the ‘manosphere’.But what is that? How can someone march against a ‘manosphere’? And what could they hope to achieve?Joining Andrea to discuss is Dean McDonald, Lecturer in Cyberpsychology, ROSA Spokesperson Harper Cleaves, Eli from United Against Racism and Podcast Host Keelin Moncrieff.

Inexperienced climbers could be banned from scaling Mount Everest to reduce deaths and overcrowding.Overcrowding has become a huge issue on Everest; pictures have been shared on social media recently of long queues to the summit, and massive amounts of litter left on the mountainside.Earlier this year there was a 36% increase in climbing fees for foreign climbers on the mountain.Joining Andrea to discuss Johnny Ward, an Irish Adventurer who summited Mount Everest in 2023, John Burke, Owner of Armada Hotel and Shelly Gray, Today FM Presenter and mountaineer.

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

Is it possible to learn to drive without family help?Geraldine Herbert wrote in the Independent about the real cost of learning to drive, particularly if you don’t have access to a car you can practice on.So, is it possible? Or prohibitively expensive?Joining Andrea to discuss is Ross Smith, Driving Instructor and Co-Founder of Virtual Driving Instructor as well as 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 Andrea to discuss the tougher side of things: ectopic pregnancies and miscarriage…

Penneys will begin charging for paper bags from Monday.The company says it's looking for ways to reduce single-use waste across the business.It's introducing a charge of 15 cent per bag, regardless of their size.What do you think about the move? Is it fair on customers?

Almost 9 in 10 young girls struggle with anxiety and worry, a survey finds.That is a huge number of the young women in this country.So, what’s causing it?Joining Andrea to discuss is CEO of the Shona Project, Tammy Darcy, Aeisha Hassan Ambassador at the Shona Project, Today FM Presenter Alison Curtis and more.

From ironing out dents to electrical problems - for this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Joey Donnelly, owner of Crofton Motors in Dublin to talk about all things car repair!

The worst part of being a parent is figuring out what to make for dinner every night.Well, That is according to Andrea's guest Journalist Niamh O’Reilly.She joins, along with Food Writer Jolene Cox, to discuss.

Ireland’s movie and TV studios could be hit by a plan by US President Donald Trump to slap a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States.He said the American movie industry was dying a “very fast death” due to the incentives that other countries, such as Ireland, were offering to lure filmmakers.How would tariffs like this impact the film and TV industry in Ireland?Joining Andrea to discuss Richard Waters, TV Editor and Film Director, Entertainment Journalist Rory Cashin, Aisling Goodwin, Dialect Coach and Actor, Actor Brian Mulvey and Mark Anderson, Director of the Omniplex Cinema Group.

Do we still have a sense of community in our cities?Prince William, the Prince of Wales, said recently that people in cities have “...lost their ability to come together and know their neighbours”.What do you think?Joining Andrea to discuss is Muiris O'Cearbhaill, Journalist with TheJournal.ie, Joe O’Shea, Editor of Cork Beo.ie and Robin Mandal from the Dublin Democratic Planning Alliance.

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, owner of No.17 PT & Human Performance and Wellness Coach to learn about HYROX, and why it is unique in the world of fitness.

The Camogie Association has said that they will continue to examine issues around the comfort and design of playing gear, and has said that they will test skorts later in the month.A number of high-profile former players have come out strongly against the rule that makes skorts mandatory on match days…So, should this go as far as the Oireachtas?Joining Andrea to discuss is Dublin Captain Aisling Maher, Centre Forward for Kilkenny Laura Murphy, Hannah Looney, football and camogie player for Cork, Emma O’Byrne, Dublin camogie player and Will Dalton, Virgin Media Sports Reporter.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Comedian Jim Elliot joins Andrea to answer any of your questions when it comes to comedy!

Baby food pouches might not be as nutritious as some of us think.An investigation from the BBC says some leading brands are failing to meet key nutritional needs of babies and toddlers.Some contained more sugar in a single pouch than a one-year-old should have in a day.So, what is in these pouches?Andrea is joined by Cathy Monahan, Pediatric Dietician from Weaning.ie to discuss.

With summer approaching, many Irish people are planning their holidays. But, instead of exploring the likes of Leitrim, Westmeath or Monaghan, it seems more and more are booking flights to Thailand, Bali, or Vietnam.New data which shows that a quarter of the Irish population have explored Asia, but 82% have never visited Leitrim, and 76% have never visited Westmeath.Why aren't Irish people touring their own back garden? And why do counties like Leitrim still struggle to attract domestic tourists? Have we fallen out of love with Ireland as a holiday destination?Andrea is joined by Founder of the Viking Splash Tours ‘Viking Mike’ McDonnell, Travel Journalist Joan Scales and listeners to discuss.

What stage in your life were you at when ‘Maniac 2000’ was released?Joining Andrea to discuss the 25th anniversary of the song is its creator, DJ Mark McCabe!

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

Tragic news from Cork yesterday as a man drowned in the city centre.Shockingly though, seemingly instead of trying to help the man – dozens of onlookers filmed the incident – some even livestreaming...Gardaí had to push the crowd of people back and increase the cordon around first responders – with a Senior Fire Officer pleading with people not to publish or share the distressing video footage taken as the tragedy unfolded.How can people stand by filming in an emergency?Joining Andrea to discuss is Victor Shine, Second Officer at Cork City Fire Brigade & Area Officer for Crosshaven Coast Guard Unit, Ger O’Dea, National Community Engagement Manager with the National Ambulance Service and more.

With this gorgeous weather at the moment, it’s hard not to think about the outdoor areas of your home.Well, the Home Squad are here to help you with outdoor furniture and cooking!Guest host Anna Daly is joined by Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ and Roisin Lafferty, Founder & Creative Director of Roisin Lafferty Design House.

May is Coeliac Awareness Month, highlighting a condition that affects 1 in 100 people - many undiagnosed. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune reaction to gluten, and managing it means big changes in daily life.Joining guest host Anna Daly to answer key questions and help us better understand this often-misunderstood condition is Registered Dietitian Sarah Keogh.

When is the right time to get married? CSO findings show that the average age of tying the knot for women is now 36 and 37 for men– the highest it has ever been.Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss this is Fergal Harrington, Director of Intro Matchmaking on Grafton Street, Sarah-Jayne Tobin, Native Editor with DMG Limited and from One Fab Day, Andrea Smith, Freelance Journalist and more.

More and more of us are buying and selling our clothes on second hand websites.The urge to grab a bargain and the opportunity to clear out your wardrobes are probably the biggest incentives.That, and the chance to skip fast fashion.Second hand clothes apps are massively growing in popularity, but how do they work?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Newstalk Producer Niamh Dunne and Founder of the Design Room, Rhoda McDonagh.

With more people exploring Ireland by motorhome, pressure is growing for better parking and camping facilities.But, are we doing enough to support this booming travel trend?Joining Anna Daly to discuss is Kieran Donovan, Chairperson at Phoenix Motorhomes, Peter Kavanaugh from Motor Home Enthusiasts Ireland and more.

Over 40 civil society organisations are gathering outside Leinster House today under the banner ‘Together for Public Alliance’.Organisers say that we are 100 days into the new Government and, despite promises for reform, we are yet to see significant action to tackle the childcare crisis.What do you think? Is the Government failing on childcare?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Rachel Coyle, National Women’s Council Head of Campaigns and Mobilisation, Paula Donohoe, owner of Clever Cloggs Creche in Co Cavan & Chairperson of the Association of Childhood Professionals, Avril Green, Graduate Lead Educator and Chair of SIPTU Early Years National Committee and more.

This bank holiday weekend seems to have taken a lot of people by surprise!Hot off the heels of Easter’s 4-day weekend, another one is already here - with hopefully some sun to boot!Joining Andrea to give their top recommendations for a last-minute trip is Travel Journalist April Drew (who’s on Instagram as Getaways with Kids) and Sinéad Kennedy, Independent Travel Agent and Host of Wellness Activity Breaks.

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…

The topic of SUVs has been covered on the show before, and the impact they can have on the environment. A big defence for them is often the safety aspect, and how people feel safer inside them than saloon cars.Well, new research out today says children are over 80% more likely to die if they are hit by an SUV than by a smaller car, and that pedestrians and cyclists are 44% more likely to die if hit by an SUV…So, is it time to rethink our love for them?Andrea is joined by owner of Crofton Motors in Dublin, Joey Donnelly, as well as listeners, to discuss.

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 the best advice for the early stages of pregnancy.