Lunchtime Live

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Today we’re talking about socialising alone.Andrea was joined by singletons to discuss the trials and tribulations of socialising alone...

Do Irish stereotypes bother you or are they just a bit of craic? American football team Notre Dame, known as ‘The Fighting Irish’ are visiting Dublin this weekend, complete with their leprechaun mascot, to face Navy in the Aviva stadium.   Notre Dame insisted that the leprechaun was regarded with “respect, loyalty and affection”, and that he was supposed to represent “the determination of the Irish people and, symbolically, the university’s athletes”.  Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Today we’re talking about parenting alone. Andrea was joined by solo parents to discuss the trials and tribulations of being a lone parent...

Newstalk Breakfast presenter Ciara Kelly was writing in the Irish Independent about the importance of saying no. Her piece reads: 'Just say ‘no’ to those weddings you can’t afford, nights out you don’t want or any unpaid work..' Do you find it hard to say 'no' to things? Andrea was joined by Newstalk's Sean Reidy, Life Coach Mark Fennell and author and blogger Natalie Lue to discuss...

A new report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland has revealed there has been almost 2,000 pubs closures across Ireland since 2005.  108 pubs closed their doors in 2022 alone. Is this the end of the rural pub? Andrea was joined by publicans to discuss...

This Friday over 60,000 students will receive their much-anticipated Leaving Certificate results. It’s a seminal moment in Irish life and one most of us remember with at least a tinge of stress or anxiety. Is the leaving cert cruel? Andrea was joined by listeners and teachers to discuss...

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Today we’re talking about Holidaying Alone! Have you every gone on holidays by yourself? According to a recent survey, over half of us consider travelling solo. If you haven’t tried it, would you? This could be your inspiration. Andrea was joined by Janet Newenham, Melanie May and many other solo travellers to discuss…

An Irish mum is in the top 1% of earners on the site OnlyFans. OnlyFans is a site where people can pay for content like photos, videos and live streams through a monthly subscription. A lot of the content is porn but it can also be YouTubers or people like fitness trainers. Meghan O’Neill, also known as Skye Fox, is an Irish mum who only joined Only Fans in February but is already in the top 1% of earners…

The NCT has said goodbye to cash! NCT Ireland have announced that going forward payment must be made in advance of attending you appointment. They have said it’s a matter of ‘safety and convienience’. Is this the right move, is society becoming cashless? Andrea was joined by Paul Treyvaud, Owner of Treyvaud's Restaurant, Eric Nelligan, Aontú spokesperson and others to discuss...

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Some are great – like the thrill of a solo holiday or the joy of getting a bed all to yourself, but others, like paying ever increasing electricity bills are a lot harder. The cost of living crisis hasn’t been getting any easier. Families, parents and couples are all struggling, but what about single people? Andrea was joined by singletons to discuss...

Queen’s 1978 hit ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ has been dropped from a greatest hits compilation targeted at younger listeners. The new greatest hits album has been made available on Yoto, an audio platform specifically aimed at children. This track praising women with more fuller figures has been left behind – and wokeness has been given the blame by the wider public. Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Geraldine Burke, who runs Letterkenny Community Childcare got in touch with Lunchtime Live about the problems her creche is facing due to mica. Geraldine Burke and Michelle Kavanagh joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

Tragedy unfolded at the Cork Ironman race yesterday as two men passed away during the race. Post-mortems are due to be carried out on the bodies. Many people have questioned whether the conditions were suitable for the race to go ahead and why it continued despite the tragedies. Andrea was joined by Michael Farrell from Farrells Pub in Youghal, Keith who participated in the competition yesterday and other listeners to discuss...

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

Yesterday on Lunchtime Live, we heard from a few of our callers about their experience of miscarriage and coping with life after it. There were also calls for paid leave for early miscarriage. As a result, many other listeners got in touch with their experiences and Andrea was joined by some of those on the show today...

Jamil Ghafoor, a Dublin taxi driver was assaulted while walking on O’Connell Street back in May. The attack has left him bedridden for months and unable to work. Jamil joined Andrea to discuss...

The Director General of RTE Kevin Backhurst announced last night that negotiations for Ryan Tubridy’s return to his Radio One show had ended as 'trust between the parties has broken down'. He insists that the presenter is not being scapegoated for the payments scandal at the broadcaster. Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Are we any closer to getting paid miscarriage leave in the workplace? Women who have suffered a miscarriage are still only entitled to sick leave, however it is hopefully going to change soon as The Reproductive Health Bill is currently pending before the Seanad. Do work places do enough for women going through miscarriage? Andrea was joined by Sinead, Siobhan, Linda and Emma Walker is from the Miscarriage Association of Ireland and more to discuss...

Levi Amarillo, a Brazilian student was conned out of €6000 by someone renting out a property in Dublin. Levi and his partner woke one night to find a dozen people had moved in to their apartment. Levi joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

A Young Fine Gael justice document is calling on Government to introduce tougher sentencing for criminal offenders. The document titled ‘Building a Just Republic’ is calling for life sentences to mean life in prison. Andrea was joined by Eli Byrne, member of Young Fine Gael, John Lonergan, former Govenor of Mountjoy Prison, victim's advocate Ruth Maxwell and other listener to discuss...

More than 180 creches have closed in the last two years. The rate at which providers are shutting down has apparently slowed dramatically since the launch of the €287m “core funding scheme”. Core funding is a Government payment to providers to make it cheaper for parents. But with this many closing, it must still be having a massive impact on parents. Andrea was joined by childcare providers and parents to discuss...

There are very few of us in this country who haven’t been touched by cancer. Westlife’s Shane Filan sadly lost both his parents within 10 months of each other to the disease. He is now getting involved with the Irish Cancer Society ‘Celebrate & Remember’ event in the Aviva Stadium on September 29th. Shane and Gillian Filan joined Andrea in studio to discuss…

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.