Lunchtime Live

Do you reach for your phone as soon as you wake up?Well, you’re not alone: 75% of people immediately check our social media feeds as soon as they get up in the morning.Figures from networks in the UK show spikes in network traffic immediately after 6am, 7am and 8am…Hilda Burke, Psychotherapist & author of ‘The Phone Addiction Workbook’ joins Andrea to discuss.

Vogue Williams has said in a recent podcast that no friends or family offered to mind her children over the Christmas holidays.Is there a pressure to mind your friends and family children?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

‘Botox for Bros’ or ‘Brotox’ as it’s being called in certain online circles – describes the rise in men getting cosmetic procedures.  But, is there still the stigma attached around men wanting to improve or enhance their looks? Does it make a man any less masculine? Or do you think it should be encouraged?Andrea is joined by Professor Jack Kelly, President of the Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons, as well as two men who have had cosmetic procedures, to discuss.

From kindness in the cold weather to Wexford being shown to America, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

There have been wildfires engulfing Los Angeles the last few days, with thousands evacuated and thousands of homes destroyed. Joining Andrea to discuss their experience with the disaster is Simon McCoy from the LA Cougars GAA Club, Green Party Councillor Laura Tuite and more.Image: Reuters

If you’re looking for ways to keep your house heated in the cold - why not take a look at windows? This week, the Home Squad are looking at all things window treatments!Andrea is joined by Jenny Sheahan, Irish Examiner Columnist and ‘Home of the Year’ winner and Sarah Carroll from Sand and Deliver DIY to discuss.

Knowing your relationship is coming to an end can be very hard.But, how do you know if, and when, to call it a day?Claire Auchmuty, Divorce and Relationship Coach, joins Andrea to discuss.

Every Thursday on Lunchtime Live, Andrea will be joined by followers of different religions in Ireland to learn more about them.This week, Pastor Daniel Yoder from the Amish Mennonite community in Ireland joins Andrea to discuss his faith.

For this week’s Throwback Thursday, Rebecca Shekleton, Presenter on 98fm’s Big Breakfast joins Andrea to look back on the year 1976!

Ryanair has confirmed that it will now file legal proceedings against disruptive passengers. The company is claiming €15,000 in damages against a passenger on a flight between Dublin and Lanzarote last year, claiming the customer disrupted the flight.Dara Brady, Director of Marketing, Digital and Communications at Ryanair told Newstalk earlier that they are looking to send a strong message that disruption won’t be accepted...What do you think about Ryanair’s new crackdown on disruptive fliers?What should happen to unruly passengers?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

With January bringing blustery weather, you’re probably feeling the cold a lot more.So, are there things we can do to our homes that might help, without breaking the bank?For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Brian McIntyre, Programme Manager at SEAI to answer all of your questions!

You hear very different information about whether or not coffee is good for you.There’s a new report out today saying that one cup in the morning is the ideal time, and is better than not drinking any at all.So, what’s true?Shelly Gray, Dietitian, joins Andrea to discuss.

Snow and Ice continue to disrupt the whole country today…To hear more about the effect this weather has had in areas around the country, Andrea is joined by Newstalk’s Henry McKean, Cllr. Charlie Farrelly, Father Iggy O’Donovan, Journalist Édaein O' Connell and Kieran Donaghy from the Tralee Wanders Basketball Club.

Buskers on Grafton Street say they fear for livelihoods as apartments there have been given the go ahead.They are concerned that noise complaints will target them if people are living nearby.So, should they be protected?To discuss, Andrea is joined by Francesco Parodi, a busker on Grafton Street and Andy Kavanaugh from the band Keywest.

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.Today FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

Parents should get priority over child-free colleagues on booking annual leave – particularly when children are off school.That’s according to Freelance Journalist Rhiannon Picton-James who was chatting to Newstalk earlier today...What do you think?Should parents get priority booking annual leave over their child-free coworkers?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every Tuesday so you always have something new to listen to.This week, host of the ‘For Tech Sake’ podcast Elaine Burke and Tom Douglas from Newstalk’s Newsroom join Andrea to review ‘Bone Valley’!Image: Lava For Good

New proposed bylaws for soup kitchens have caused a lot of controversy with volunteers in the sector…There are plans to draft ‘soup kitchen’ bylaws to end groups setting up unregulated services like hot meals to homeless people.The council said it wants food services to be provided in safe, regulated, indoor settings.To discuss, Andrea is joined by Lorraine O’Connor from the Muslim Sisters of Éire and Glenda Harrington, the Founder of Friends Helping Friends, an outdoor soup kitchen in Dublin City centre.

You may have heard it on Newstalk Breakfast this morning: despite the government promising the rollout of free HRT to women of all ages – that there has been a delay, seeing patients paying up to €70 for HRT products.What are your thoughts? Is this delay reasonable given that this had been in the works for some time?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

We all know the extra stress that can come with catching a flight, ensuring a suitcase isn’t overweight, that toiletries and liquids are removed from your case, and that all medication is appropriately packed with a prescription visible... Well, even when following this checklist, Andrea’s guest encountered an issue. Dolores Pickering, whose husband Brian, is buried in Ireland, was returning home to visit her husband’s grave with her son for Christmas…Her son, Jason, suffers with anxiety and uses medical cannabis to alleviate the symptoms. Having traveled with it previously and declaring it upon arrival at any given destination airport, Jason has been asked to produce his prescription certifying the medical use of cannabis… However, on their visit here last Christmas, Dolores says they were interrogated, with the medicinal cannabis confiscated and destroyed in Dublin Airport…Dolores, as well as Peter Reynolds, Chair of the Ireland Working Group of the Cannabis Industry Council, join Andrea to discuss.

It’s How I Live Well time! Where Andrea Gilligan is joined by someone to discuss what they do to improve their life.This week, Andrea is joined by Karen Belshaw from Stress Management Ireland to give her best tips on recognising and handling the biggest points of stress in our lives.

You may have seen videos and photos of people around the country enjoying the snow. And, you may have even seen people skiing in various mountains around the country despite calls from Wicklow Mountain Rescue not to do so…Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss the risks when skiing or snowboarding in the Wicklow Mountains, including Independent Cllr in Wicklow Gerry O’Neill and Philip Conroy, EMT for Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue.

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

New York City congestion charges came into effect over the weekend: a car entering Manhattan can expect to pay up to $9 a day.So, is it time some Irish cities like Dublin introduced congestion charges?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Some families may have grown during the Christmas break – you may have a new four-legged furry friend competing for space on the sofa! But, how do you make sure that your new pet adjusts to their new home?Dawn Greer, Petmania's Professional Dog Trainer, joins Andrea to discuss.

The idea of getting fit in January is not exactly new.But sometimes, it can seem very unobtainable and just like a lot of work after an exhausting Christmas.So, are there things that can make it a little better?Andrea is joined by John Belton, Owner of No.17 PT, Human Performance and Wellness Coach, to find out!

This is Lunchtime Live’s Big Batch. Every Monday we’ll be learning new easy to cook batch recipes to keep you eating well. No more staring into an open fridge looking for inspiration!This week, Paul Knapp, aka @official_firefightingchef on Instagram, joins Andrea to discuss his recipe for ‘Lentil Mother Sauce’, which you can use for many meals!

Reports this morning show that some-60,000 people across the country are affected by power outages – with some others experiencing problems with their water supply also…Andrea is joined by listeners to hear how they were affected.

The president of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) , Garda Mark O’Meara has warned that ‘Over-zealous’ disciplining has left Gardaí afraid to draw their batons, even when in danger,’  Are our Gardaí equipped to fulfill their role fully – what level of force should they be allowed to use?  Photo: Leon Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

We look ahead now to the big cinema releases of the year – with Pop Culture and Entertainment Expert, Deirdre Molumby. Photo by Pixabay

Angela Collins O’Mahony, Ireland’s first female Steeplejack joins Andrea in studio to answer all of your questions!

From live-saving heroism in Kerry to a village shocked by a spate of cat poisonings, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

A new resource has been created to provide guidance to schools, teachers and parents on how to address the impact of online masculinity influencers like Andrew Tate. Photo by Ron Lach

Planning on doing a bit of home decorating in 2025, but don’t know where to start? Well, the Home Squad is here to help!Jenny Sheahan, Irish Examiner Columnist and ‘Home of the Year’ winner and Sarah Carroll from Sand and Deliver DIY join Andrea to discuss.

You will probably be hearing a lot about New Year’s Resolutions over the next week or two. But, are they even worth making?Andrea is joined by Esther McCarthy, Life/Style Daily Features Editor with the Irish Examiner and Comedian Fiona Frawley to discuss.

Ever wondered what you would say if you met a huge A-lister in real life? What about if one walked into your shop?That happened to Eyebrow Expert, Elaine Simms, who treated ‘Friends’ star Courtney Cox!Elaine, as well as Frank O'Connor, Co-Owner of O’Connors pub in Salthill join Andrea to discuss their celebrity encounters.Image: Warner Bros

Claudia Winkleman returned to our screens last night, with a fresh batch of faithfuls hoping to catch out those dastardly traitors and take home the prize money – but this year with an added twist!Esther McCarthy joined Andrea to discuss what we can expect in this latest edition of traitors as well as former traitors Eamon O’Keefe and Ben

An article in the Irish Examiner today details that school assaults have forced nearly 400 staff to take leave…Sophie Cole is a recent victim of an assault in her classroom leaving her with debilitating pain and nerve damage.Sophie and more join Andrea to discuss.

Every Thursday on Lunchtime Live, Andrea will be joined by followers of different religions in Ireland to learn more about them. This week, she’s joined by Puneet Singh to learn about Sikhism.

It’s all about 1975 for this week’s Throwback Thursday! Ciara Treacy from Newstalk’s Digital Team joins Andrea to discuss the biggest things that happened that year…Image: Universal

Milan has introduced a total ban on smoking outdoors in the city…Those caught lighting up on city streets could face fines of up to €240. So, would you like to see outdoor smoking banned in Ireland?Andrea is joined by listeners, including Tom Gleeson from New Nicotine Alliance Ireland, to discuss.

With Christmas right around the corner - what are your favourite Christmas memories? What traditions do you have with your family, and how are you spending it this year?Joining Andrea to share their favourite festive memories and more is Presenter of the Home Show, Sinead Ryan, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly and Today FM’s Cathal Minogue.

It can sometimes be easy to forget, with all the shopping and presents, but Christmas is a Christian holiday.And, while a lot of people might no longer be practicing – many will still attend Mass over the Christmas period.So, should non-religious people attend mass at Christmas?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Apparently, bingo is the newest old craze among young people!Buzz Bingo owns 82 clubs in the UK – and say they’re expecting record numbers this Christmas because of all the young people going.So, why is it so popular with younger people?Joining Andrea to discuss is Will Meara, CCO of Bingo Loco, John Purcell from Rock Bingo Cork and Emily Keegan from the Newstalk Newsroom.

All this month, Lunchtime Live is doing Christmas specials to give you plenty of time to prepare for the big day, and hopefully batch cook some bits in advance to make Christmas a lot easier!For the last Big Batch of the year, Paul Knapp, aka @thefirefightingchef on Instagram, joins Andrea to discuss how you can cater for vegans and vegetarians at Christmas!

The taxpayer is subsidising 50 private secondary schools by more than €140 million a year, new figures show.What do you think about giving funding to fee paying schools?Should taxpayers be subsidising private schools?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

A huge trend this year online has been hosting and learning how to create a gorgeous table for guests coming around to your house this festive season.And a big part of that is the concept of ‘tablescaping’: landscaping your table for want of a better description!Joining Andrea to discuss how you can do it on a budget is ‘Home of the Year’ star, Jen Connell.

Journalist Niamh O’Reilly has decided she’s pushing back on manspreading with a bit of womanspreading of her own!She joins Andrea to discuss why, and explain what exactly womanspreading entails…

Sinéad O’Connor is in the news today because her Bray home is up for sale, but… should the State buy it to convert it into a music museum?The seafront property is back on the market after the owners were blocked from turning it into apartments.Now, fans want to buy it and transform the six-bedroom home, where Sinéad lived for 15 years, into a museum and music school for teenagers.What do you think of the idea?Joining Andrea to discuss is Willie White, from TU Dublin, Clodagh Lawlor, singer, musician and host of ‘Country Hits’ on Today FM and more.

Singer Daniel O’Donnell has been warning people about scams going around, where people are posing as him online in a bid to steal money…Daniel joins Andrea to discuss.Image: Kip Carroll