Lunchtime Live

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 a...

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 Andr...

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 Aislin...

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 touri...

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 t...

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 Foun...

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...

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 Acti...

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 h...