Lunchtime Live

There were long queues at various ATMs last night as a technical glitch allowed customers to withdraw more money than they had available in their Bank Of Ireland accounts. A number of people were alarmed to see Gardai, in some areas, actually blocking access to a number of ATMs. Andrea was joined by Charlie Weston, Irish Independent personal finance editor, People Before Profit TD, Paul Murphy and other listeners to discuss…

What are some imaginative ways to reimagine our cities and towns in order to make them more attractive to tourists and also keep our young people from emigrating? Is Ireland no place for young people anymore? Andrea was joined by Rachel O'Neill, Newstalk's own Cathal O'Sullivan and Kevin from GAA-Works.ie to discuss...

Today Ireland remembers one of the biggests atrocities the country saw, the 25th anniversary of the Omagh bombing. 29 people were killed and the attack in 1998 devastated the town. Hundreds more were injured. It came just months after the Good Friday Agreement and was the greatest loss of life in a single incident in the North’s past. Andrea was joined by Kevin Skelton on Lunchtime Live to discuss losing his wife in the terrible tragedy 25 years ago. Listeners Liz and Bernie also told Andrea about their memories of this dark day in Omagh...

Derry girls creator Lisa McGee has expressed her frustration at her identity being dismissed as “not properly Irish” because she hails from Northern Ireland and not the Republic. Writer & commentator Emma de Souza, who also hails from Co Derry, shared her own experience of not being considered Irish while speeaking with Newstalk earlier today. Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Anyone who buys clothes in normal chain shops will have experienced the madness that is the varying clothes sizes between different shops. You could be medium in one, and a large in another. Influencer Molly Mae Hague posted a picture of herself in size 14 Zara jeans recently on social media. It annoyed quite a lot of people that she’d ever be wearing size 14, because even after recently having a baby, she’s very small. Do clothes sizes vary from shop to shop on the high street and also versus online orders? Andrea was joined by Stylist Laura Mullet, Irish Independent Columnist Tanya Sweeney and listeners to discuss...

Restaurants in St Tropez in France have been criticized for keeping lists of people who don’t leave decent tips, and refusing to let them book a table again. Is this fair? Do you tip when you’re out? Or has the tipping culture gone too far? Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by listeners to discuss...

Dog behaviourist Suzi Walsh and Vet Tim Kirby joined Adrian Kennedy on Lunchtime Live to discuss helping your pets grieve when they lose a friend...

How much have you paid for a pint recently? Diageo will increase the price of its stout and beer products by 4 cent from today – just six months after a 12 cent hike in February. Publicans say that this could be the ‘tipping point’ for the industry. Adrian Kennedy was joined by publicans and listeners to discuss...

Three Gardai trainees have been sent home from Templemore – until they get their tattoos removed. It’s understood the tattoos were mostly on lower arms of the trainee gardai, and would have been visible to members of the public if the officers were wearing short-sleeve uniform shirts. The recruits were told they could return to the force’s training college once they had the tattoos removed. Is it the right decision on the part of Gardai bosses or is the Gardai dress code too restrictive in this day and age? Adrian Kennedy was joined by listeners to discuss...

Our summer memories series returns where we chat with some well-known faces and reminisce over those long summer days! Author and Crime Journalist, Nicola Tallant joined Andrea to discuss...

On July 1st 1990 thousands lined the streets to celebrate the Irish football team who were greeted as champions despite bowing out in the quarter finals. An article today by Johnny Watterson in the Irish Times examines our unique obsession with homecomings, often for teams that haven’t actually won. Do we celebrate mediocracy in Ireland? Andrea was joined by Eoghan Corry and other listeners to discuss...

Should women consider giving their children their last name instead of the baby's father's surname? One London barrister, Dr Charlotte Proudman sparked an online debate during the week suggesting: "A message to pregnant women — please give the baby your surname. You carried a baby for 9 months, gave birth, and will be responsible for that child for the rest of your life." Andrea was joined by Dr Charlotte Proudman, Sarah Jayne Tobin, Content Editor with Evoke.ie and more to discuss...

Free GP care will be available for children aged six and seven for the first time from today. GP Visit Cards allow the holders to see their doctor without any charge, while still having to pay for medicines and other services. Children under 6 years of age have been eligible for GP Visit Cards since 2015. The move has been criticised by some who say that it will overstretch an already stretched service. Andrea was joined by Dr Martin Daly in Galway, Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, Medical Director of the Irish College of GPs and GP in Glanmire in Cork and listeners to discuss...

Author and Disability rights campaigner Geraldine Lavelle got the keys to her new home back in May, however a lack of care staff has put a halt to the move. Geraldine joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss her current situation...

Plans by Clare County Council to introduce year-round paid parking in tourist hotspots such as Kilkee, Lahinch, Doolin and Spanish Point have been met with criticism from residents and business owners who think that it will harm the local area. Has your area been negatively affected by parking charges? Andrea was joined by Cliodhna Fawl from the Lahinch Surf Shop, Cllr Liam Grant, Green Party Councillor in Lahinch and other listeners to discuss...

With holiday season at it's peak, Eoghan Corry, Editor of Air and Travel Magazine, joined Andrea Gilligan to answer any niggling travel questions listeners have...

Primary schools all around the country are struggling to fill teaching places. Shortages have been put down to things like poor wages and the high rental market. There are calls to not only increase the starting salary but also to offer more incentives to stop graduates leaving the country. Would that work? Or do we need more drastic intervention? Andrea was joined by principals, teachers and other listeners to discuss…

Should the voting age be lowered? Lowering the voting age is among a series of issues the new Electoral Commission has been asked to research. Andrea was joined by Shari Irfan, President of Irish Second-Level Students' Union and other listeners to discuss...

With the recent Barbie and Oppenheimer mania and the record breaking numbers of people that went to see them - there have been reports of a decline in cinema etiquette. Do people chat to their friends loudly during a movie? Do we need to ban popcorn from cinemas? Have we completely lost the ability to sit in the dark and be quiet? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Last year the State provided over €128 million in funding to private schools, it has been found. Over the last five years payments from the Government to private schools have amounted to €588m. Is it right for private schools to be tapping into the resources of the State? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Living with a chronic illness in Ireland can be difficult – from prolonged waiting times for a diagnosis to having to travel abroad for treatment, there are so many challenges to face when you have a chronic illness. Andrea was joined by Ann, Orla, Anne Marie and Emily Larkin, founder of Invisible Disability Ireland to discuss...

Summer can be a stressful time for parents. Children are off school and most parents still have to work. This can often see parents 'shaming' for the decisions they make. Chrissie Russell, Freelance journalist with the Irish Independent and others joined Andrea to discuss...

Fans are lining the seafront in Bray to pay tribute and bid farewell to Singer Sinead O’Connor as her funeral cortege passes by. Newstalk's Chief Reporter Barry Whyte joined Andrea from Bray...

In Cork there are 14 times more short-term lets on Airbnb than rental homes available on Daft.ie. In Dublin it’s 6 times and in Galway there are 23 times more short-term lets on Airbnb than rental homes available on Daft.ie. There are huge differences across the country between the amount of homes available for people to rent, and the amount of holiday properties available. The impact this must be having on the housing and rental crisis is undeniable. Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Wexford woman Deirdre Bonass is using her experience of skin cancer to urge people to use sun factor. Deirdre is recovering from basal cell carcinoma (BCC) skin cancer and joined Andrea Gilligan on the show to tell us all about her experience...

This weekend is the August is the Bank Holiday weekend. Doubtless, many of you have made plans to head away for the weekend. Keith Walsh, Writer & Broadcaster along with callers joined Andrea on the show to discuss if it's ok to go on holiday without your children...

A picture posted online of the rewilded garden in front of Trinity College in Dublin has sparked a lot of discussion. One commentator said it makes Trinity look like another ‘derelict urban property’, while others applauded the wildflowers. What do you think? Andrea Gilligan was joined by callers to get their views on rewilding...

Is TV still worth it? Irish consumers will spend 1.3 billion euros on streaming services this year – while another report in the UK shows that Broadcast TV audiences have seen the sharpest fall since records began. Andrea asked listeners if they still watch TV.

A new survey has found that 64 percent of homeowners say cost is the main barrier to carrying out an upgrade to their home. It also found that 76 percent of homeowners have, or plan to make their homes more energy efficient. So today we are asking you, is there work you would like to do on your house that you simply can’t afford to do? Architect Roisin Murphy joined Andrea Gilligan to answer listeners questions...

What time do you go to sleep every night? A recent study by Kings College London found that even a 90-minute difference in the time you sleep can massively affect your gut health. Tom Coleman, health scientist, and sleep coach joined Andrea on the show to discuss...

Musicians and stage crew working in Dublin city center say they’re worried that violence in the city will impact our nightlife. It comes after it was announced last night that a man in his 30s after being attacked on Sunday morning and after the attack on US tourist Stephen Termini last month. Musicians and gig-goers say they’re worried about being out late. Rebecca CappuccinI spokesperson for the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland along with callers joined Andrea Gilligan on the show.

Louise from Cool Running Events, James Coghlan of Astropark, and Linda Murray of Huckleberry’s Den joined Andrea Gilligan to discuss insurance premiums...

Ten years ago a law was passed that compelled tobacco companies to print photographic health warnings on cigarette packets, now as we look set to introduce similar warnings on alcohol some are calling for health labeling to also be displayed on junk food. But would this proposal actually work and what might it look like? Andrea was joined by Doctor Eva Orsmond and listeners to discuss if health labeling should be displayed on junk food...

It’s World Breastfeeding Week. It’s a topic we cover regularly on this show, and when we do it always gets a huge response – from the lack of help for new mums to Ireland’s low uptake – it seems people have a lot of worries around breastfeeding. Andrea Gilligan was joined by Katie Mugan, Lactation Consultant, Nurse, and mum of 4 who answered all your breastfeeding questions...

It’s that time of the year again when thoughts turn to, back to school. A new survey from Barnardos shows that the average cost for a fourth-class pupil in Primary school is €320, while the amount needed for a first-year pupil is €972 and a fifth-year pupil is €863.

Parents and public representatives in Dublin 8 are calling on the Department of Education to provide new secondary schools for the area to address the dire under-provision of secondary school places locally. The stark shortfall of places in Dublin 8 means many local teenagers face 15 hours of commuting a week to get to and from school. Parents in the area are calling on the Department of Education to provide a new secondary school to deal with the dire under-provision of secondary school places locally. Louise Fitzpatrick from the Dublin 8 Secondary School parent’s group joined Andrea on the show to discuss the situation...

Andrea was joined by mental health campaigner Daragh Fleming because of something he is currently dealing with. Daragh explained to Andrea what happened recently... If you have been affected by anything in this podcast you can contact Men's Aid on 01 554 3811.

As we finally see some sun in Ireland during the tourist season, is the price of a nice meal out just too much to enjoy it? We often talk about the cost of hotels here, but should we be doing more to keep costs down in all parts of hospitality? Andrea Gilligan was joined by callers to discuss the cost of going out for a meal...

New research from Digital Insights has found that almost one in ten people are now using Chat GPT for work High-income owners are twice as likely to use to use ChatGPT for work purposes versus the general population (8%). It is also much more popular among younger age groups. Andrea was joined by Eoghan Tomas McDermott - Managing Director of The Communications Clinic and callers to discuss if they use ChatGPT...

A shocking report by the ERSI showed that barely a third of Irish people under 40 own their own homes. With the cost-of-living crisis, the people being hit hardest are our young people who are stuck at home, and their parents who are still housing them. Brian Jordan, president of the TU Dublin Students Union, joined Andrea on the show...

Young people’s shopping habits are increasingly shaped by social media influencers, research shows. Almost two-thirds of 16 to 24-year-olds and almost half of 25- to 34-year-olds have bought goods online because of a recommendation from an influencer or celebrity, according to a survey by An Post. Female shoppers are twice as likely to be prompted to purchase via social media.

Cork City Library on Grand Parade decided to close to the public at 12.30 pm on Saturday following ongoing protests against LGBTQ+ material in Irish libraries. Andrea was joined by Dan Boyle, Green Party Councillor and callers who were at the protests...

Our summer memories series returns where we chat with some well-known faces and reminisce over those long summer days! Author Sheila Flanagan joined Andrea to discuss...

Our summer memories series returns where we chat with some well-known faces and reminisce over those long summer days! Singer and Nolan Sister, Anne Nolan joined Andrea to discuss...

Here on Newstalk we have been covering the exclusive Newstalk poll carried out by Amárach which has found a clear divide when it comes to women’s and men’s sport in Ireland. Lunchtime Live is focusing on one of the findings, which is that over half (56%) of the 1,200 people surveyed said they do not believe we encourage young girls to play sports to the same extent as young boys. Andrea was joined by journalist Jen Hogan and listeners to discuss…

Is there a lack of buzz for the All-Ireland Football final as usual? On Sunday Dublin face Kerry in the All Ireland Senior Football Championship, it will be only the second time in the last century a final has taken place in July rather than the traditional September. Many have criticized this change as taking the excitement away from the fixture. Andrea was joined was joined by listeners to discuss…

Prisoners have been transferred to the new Limerick Women Prison during the week. One of the main priorities for the Irish Prison Service in its state-of-the-art new jail is ‘to create a safe place’ for the traumatised women. The prison includes a gym, a salon and ensuite rooms and it has met some criticism online with people comparing the prison facilities as being like a hotel. Andrea was joined by John Lonergan, Former Governor of Mountjoy Prison and other listeners to discuss…

Following on from conversations with Karen Harkin and Ciara Mangan, Andrea was joined by Noeline Blackwell, CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre to discuss rape culture in Ireland...

28-year-old Ciara Mangan was raped by a work colleague at a house party ten years ago. Her rapist was jailed for seven years last week. Shane Noonan was sentenced to eight years in prison with the final year suspended, at the Central Criminal Court. Ciara waived her right to anonymity so that rapist Shane Noonan could be named. Ciara joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live…

Do advertisements reinforce gender roles and stereotypes? Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have backed a report which calls for media to show men cooking and cleaning and women fixing the sink or mowing the lawn to 'break the gender binary'. Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...