Lunchtime Live

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, former Boxer and Olympic champion Michael Carruth joins Andrea to answer any of your questions!

Do you give up your seat on public transport?Have we lost all manners on public transport?Whether you struggle to stand or are heavily pregnant, you might have noticed that many people are too glued to their phones to look up and give their seat to somebody who needs it more.Joining Andrea to discuss is Hannah Saunders, PR agent and mother of 2, Kyle Butler, News Reporter and Journalist with Newstalk and listeners.

Planning permission has been granted by Donegal County Council to build a new petrol beside Creeslough site.It was here that an explosion killed ten people, including 14-year-old Leona Harper, in October 2022.Her father, Hugh Harper, joins Andrea to share his reaction…

It’s disappointment for the nation as Ireland lost to Czechia in last night’s World Cup play-off semifinal, which came down to a penalty shootout.Andrea is joined by Irish fans who made their way out to Prague to watch the match to discuss…

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joined Andrea with a roundup of some of the stories from across the country this week.

Hospital food has long had a poor reputation. Many patients feel that meals served on the wards are bland, unappetizing, and lacking the nutrition needed to support recovery.However, not everyone shares this view. One of our listeners had a very different experience, describing the food as both high-quality and generous, so much so that he believes patients should contribute a small fee of just €2 per day to have it.Robert got in touch to share his positive experience at Mayo University Hospital, and joins Andrea, along with Heath Correspondent with the Irish Examiner, Niamh Griffin, Advocate with Access for All Ireland, Bernard Mulvany and listeners to discuss.

If you want to decorate the walls of your home, what kind of art should you put on display?This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss picking artwork for your home!Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Interior Stylist Sarah Doyle of Retwiggd.

If you’re not 100% clued in to what’s happening tonight - what can you expect from the Ireland vs Czechia match? What are the things you need to know?Joining Andrea to discuss is Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill!

Síomha Ní Ruairc recently stated that she would not be sharing her newborn daughter’s name or image.‘Sharenting’ seems to be an increasingly important conversation, so would you share your child’s identity online?Joining Andrea to discuss is Elaine Burke from the ‘For Tech's Sake’ podcast, Katie Makk from the ‘Opinion Matter’ podcast, Jen Hogan, podcast host,  Journalist with the Irish Times and mother of 7, as well as listeners.

The Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association (IMNDA) is inviting people across Ireland to put the kettle on and host a tea party this March as part of its annual ‘Drink Tea for MND’ campaignLorraine Kelly Donnelly from Garristown, North County Dublin, was diagnosed with MND in July 2025. She, along with her husband Cormac, joins Andrea to share her story…

We’ve decided to do a deep dive on some of our favourite albums to explore the stories behind them.What did the artists really think of each other? Where did the inspirations from the songs come from?Joining Andrea to discuss is Alan Buckley from the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, who’s going to talk through Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’!

Thousands of Ireland soccer fans have descended on Prague ahead of the big match tonight...So, as Ireland gets ready to take on Czechia tonight, what's the atmosphere like there ahead of the game?Andrea is joined by Irish fans to find out!

World Cup fever has certainly kicked off as thousands of Irish fans make their way to Prague ahead of the play-offs tomorrow.Henry McKean has followed the fans from Dublin Airport, Josh Crosbie has been to Portland Row to speak with family and friends of Troy Parrot and Andrea is joined by Noel Anderson, from the Grandslam bars group - all to get a sense of the excitement!

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…

Paid leave for miscarriage will come into effect on the 6th of April in Northern Ireland. This will mean that the North will be leading the way as one of the first places in Europe to ensure paid leave for miscarriage.The paid leave will cover both partners and include any stage of pregnancy.Should we follow suit and introduce this here in the Republic?Joining Andrea to discuss is Siobhan O’Neill Whyte from Mams.ie, Tracey Carroll, Vice President of Safe for Birth Ireland, Fianna Fáil Senator Catherine Ardagh and listeners.

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.Andrea will be joined by Professor Shane Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, 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 what to know if you exercise during pregnancy.

Do you dread seeing a wedding invite drop in the door due to how much it’s going to set you back?Sinead Ryan, Presenter of the Home Show and Columnist with the Irish Independent, Wedding Planner Lyndsey Moynagh and Newstalk Reporter Josh Crosbie join Andrea to discuss the cost of being a wedding guest.

Journalist June Shannon wrote in today’s Irish Times that she recently got her driver’s license, at the age of 54 and a half.She isn’t the only one, as many people, of all ages, face obstacles in learning to drive…June joins Andrea to discuss, as well as Brenda Bolger from the Bolger School of Motoring, Newstalk’s Katie Gallagher and listeners.

Many of us struggle with knowing anything about mortgages, getting mortgage approval, or even switching your mortgage.  Trevor Grant, Chairperson, Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors joined Andrea to answer any questions you may have in regards to mortages

Councillors and local residents have been raising the issue of delays in CPO payments... If you drive past Glencullen Road near Ticknock mountain in County Dublin, you will see posters asking for CPO payments...So what is happening with Compulsory Purchase Order payments and why are residents left waiting Years to get the promised compensation from councils?Joining Andrea was Fine Gael Councillor Pierce Dargan, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and Resident Linda

For many years, people working in the hospitality sector have depended on tips to make some extra money. As a result of this, a recent poll suggests that three-quarters of hospitality workers say they saw it as a positive recognition of their efforts and nearly as many said, it can influence their customer service levels. Adrian Cummins from the Restaurant Association joined Andrea to discuss this aswell as listeners with their experience and those who work in the hospitality industry.

Lunchtime Live got an email in from a listener with an issue she noticed. Mary, whiule travelling on an Aer Lingus flight, noticed that the milk provided to her was not Irish and was in fact milk from Slovakia.Aer Lingus confiremd to us that due to a  temporary shortage of the Irish-produced milk,  sticks an alternative will be used on a short-term basis.Is this an insult to Irish Dairy producers, and should our state carrier only be using Irish goods?Joining Andrea to discuss was Mary TurnerNoel Murphy – Chairperson of ICMSA Dairy Committee Eoghan Corry - Editor of Air & Travel magazine  and Thomas Duffy - Dairy Farmer in CavanAer Lingus statement: Due to an operational issue, our catering partner has experienced a temporary shortage of the Irish-produced milk sticks normally served on Aer Lingus flights. To ensure continuity of service, an alternative has been used on a short-term basis. Normal supply is expected to resume shortly.

Have you got a best friend? Or are best friends something 10-year-olds argue about in the playground?Writing in the Irish Independent, Tanya Sweeney says that she doesn’t have a female best friend and sometimes feels like a failure.So how important is it to have a best friend and do we have the wrong ideas about female friendships, given how they are portrayed in movies and films?Joining Andrea was Tanya Sweeney and Stephanie Regan Clinical Psychotherapist

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

Men and women can often be treated differently when it comes to certain tasks and ideas. It is only nowadays that we are seeing women working in a “man’s job” and a man doing a “woman’s job”, but how stereotypical are we, and how does it feed into our day-to-day life?Many women feel that when they go to buy a new car, they are not taken seriously by the sales representative, and they feel like they are getting cheated out of a good deal… As a woman, has this ever happened to you? Or would you feel confident to go out and buy a car, knowing exactly what you want and how much you're willing to spend?Joining Andrea to discuss is Journalist Yvonne Reddin, Nadia Adan, Founder of Ashford Motors and Joey Donnelly from Crafton Motors.

A video has been circulating of an assault of a young woman in Tipperary…It’s been spoken about many times on this show about why there is a lack of laws and legislations around the distribution of footage from attacks and assaults, but why are people still getting away with it?Joining Andrea to discuss is David Hall, owner of Lifeline Ambulance, Ronan Lupton, Barrister and Senior Council and more.

A voice that is probably familiar to you all from reading the news: Teena Gates was left deflated after a recent incident in Blanchardstown…She joins Andrea to discuss what happened.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Elaine Power, host of ‘What’s Trending in F1?’ podcast and Sarah Jayne Tobin, Native Content Editor at DMG Media Ireland join Andrea Gilligan to review ‘Shite Talk: An Irish History Podcast’!Image: HeadStuff Podcasts

With fuel prices rising due to the ongoing war, many people across Ireland are worried about managing their bills in the months ahead.The Government is considering support, including a double fuel allowance payment for vulnerable groups such as pensioners, and a possible extension of the fuel allowance season beyond April, though details are not yet confirmed…Would you accept Government subsidies to help with rising fuel costs, and how much support do you think is needed?Joining Andrea to discuss is Irish Times Consumer Journalist, Conor Pope, owner of Care-a-Lot Childcare Avril Sheehan, as well as listeners.

A social enterprise in Queensland, Australia has brought a virtual reality train journey experience to nursing homes. But how does it work?Joining Seán to discuss is Kim Turner, Co-Founder and Experience Designer of Olive Express…

A bold new addition to this year’s Chelsea Flower Show is turning heads and raising eyebrows. Organisers have unveiled a sex-themed “pleasure garden” sponsored by a sexual wellness brand, aiming to challenge taboos and spark conversation through plants linked to love, lust, and romance. It’s part of a wider shake-up at the iconic event, which will also see the return of garden gnomes and even contributions from high-profile figures.Joining Seán to discuss is James Whiting, Plant Stylist and Designer of the Pleasure Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.

NASA has given the go ahead for the Artemis II mission to the Moon to launch in April, but what exactly is the mission designed to achieve?Joining Seán to discuss is Peter Gallagher, Director of DIAS Dunsink Observatory in Dublin and former employee of NASA…Image: NASA

It’s become a hallmark of the Trump presidency that visiting world leaders have to sit next to him while he answers questions in the Oval Office. Recently, Trump made a joke about Pearl Harbour in front of the Japanese Prime Minister…Newstalk’s Political Correspondent Seán Defoe has been gathering the most memorable mistakes both from politicians, and joins Seán to discuss.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Brian Breathnach, former member of the Garda Water Unit joins Andrea to answer any of your questions!

Today is Daffodil Day. You’ll see people out on the streets collecting money to raise vital funds for the Irish Cancer Society.Andrea decided it would be a good opportunity to be a bit proactive with her health and go and have her skin checked!

Many new fathers are only given two weeks of paternity leave once their baby is born. With the arrival of a new baby being a precious and challenging time, many fathers feel that two weeks off is not enough to help bond with their baby, as well as help their partner to navigate parenthood.Joining Andrea to discuss is Newstalk’s Political Correspondent and new dad Seán Defoe, content creator, mental health advocate and new dad Aidan Loughlin and Shane O’Connor from Lads to Dads.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joined Andrea with a roundup of some of the stories from across the country this week.

Cork City Council have sparked debate over their new posters to try to encourage people to pick up after their dog.The controversial poster has the slogan ‘Get your shit together’ which has led to some people saying that it’ll only encourage children to curse.What do you think? Are shock tactics the way to go? Or is it a bad example to set our children?Joining Andrea to discuss is Joe O’Shea, Editor of CorkBeo.ie, as well as listeners.

Newstalk's Lunchtime Live is hosting this town hall event to bring together listeners who have shared their stories of caring for loved ones with intellectual disabilities, and putting their questions to our expert panel.Speakers on the night included Tony Murray of the 'Before We Die’ campaign alongside Solicitors Aileen Curry and David Hickey to discuss and answer questions on The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act.

How would you react if you received a 13 minute voicenote? Would you be delighted, or does it fill you with dread? Deirdre Reynolds, Writer and Columnist and Rob Kenny of Rob Kenny PR join Andrea to discuss.

With the weather (hopefully) taking a turn for the better, now is a great time to set your garden up for success, but what’s the best way to go about it?This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss how to get the garden ready!Joining Andrea to discuss is Brian Burke Woodie's DIY & Garden Expert and RTÉ Super Garden judge and Hazel Burton from The Home Reset.

This month is Endometriosis awareness month. It’s a condition that we’ve talked about at length on the show, so Andrea decided to travel out to St Michael’s Holy Faith in Finglas to listen to - Endo and Me – which is a talk on Menstrual education and endometriosis.How important are these talks? And have we come much further on endo treatment?Also joining Andrea to discuss is Damien Donoghue, Chair of Endo Ireland and Dr Bart Kuczera, Deputy Medical Director at Beacon Care Facility.Image: @itsendoandme on Instagram

We’ve decided to do a deep dive on some of our favourite albums to explore the stories behind them.What did the artists really think of each other? Where did the inspirations from the songs come from?Joining Andrea to discuss is Alan Buckley from the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, who’s going to talk through The Undertones’ self-titled album!

The Newstalk Changemaker Business Awards are back, and there is still time to enter!These awards in association with FBD, recognise extraordinary business achievements across nine different categories.CEO of Open Doors, Jeanne McDonagh, won the Inclusive Workplace category last year and she joins us now...

Many hauliers across the country have taken to the picket lines this morning, calling on the Government to introduce measures to ease the burden of rising fuel costs.With fuel prices now exceeding €2 per litre, hauliers are urging the temporary suspension of planned carbon tax increases, as well as the removal of toll charges on the M50 for both hauliers and motorists.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Eugene Drennan from the Irish Road Haulage Association, Motoring Editor with the Sunday Independent, Ger Herbert and more.

For a number of weeks, we have been hearing stories from parents of children with intellectual disabilities, with many parents fearing what will happen to their adult children after they are gone…Caroline Roche is the mother of Helena. Helena has Down syndrome, autism, epilepsy, and finds it increasingly difficult to walk.Caroline joins Andrea to share her story…

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…

During the annual St Patrick’s Day visit to the White House, US President Donald Trump called Irish President Catherine Connolly a man in an answer to a question on Iran. This mistake is not the only reason this is in the news: people are talking Taoiseach Michéal Martin did not correct him…So, what do you think, and how often do you see this happening in general?Joining Andrea to discuss is Newstalk Reporter Jamie O’Hara, Dr Mary McAuliffe, Historian and Lecturer of Gender Studies in UCD, Doctor Suzanne Crowe and listeners.

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.Andrea will be joined by Professor Shane Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, 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 what to know if you’re travelling while pregnant!

Are you trying to buy a house? What things do you wish people had told you?Buying a home can be long and stressful, and Journalist Céire Sadlier has been writing about the things that actually helped her during the process…She joins Andrea to discuss, as well as listeners.