Lunchtime Live

The President of the GAA has warned that we could start to lose communities if something is not done to stop people leaving rural communities. As young people leave their towns for cities, falling numbers have placed their clubs at risk of extinction. While in cities there are not enough clubs and facilities to cater for a burgeoning population… So, is the GAA becoming another victim of Dublin-cen...

Dublin’s arts scene has been dealt another blow, as The Complex in Smithfield announces its closure this January. More than 30 artists face eviction after a planned deal to secure the site collapsed due to missing Government funding. The loss of the much-loved venue adds to growing concern over the shrinking number of cultural spaces in the city… Joining Andrea to discuss this is Vanessa Fielding,...

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

Taxi Drivers Ireland are escalating their action next week with a planned 6-day protest from Monday to Saturday. The protests will majorly disrupt Dublin City Centre and the area around Dublin Airport, as well as Cork and Galway. What implications will this have for those moving around these cities next week? Andrea is joined by taxi drivers and listeners to discuss.

When you’re renovating or building a home, there are certain things that make a big impact which you might not realise… The Home Squad are here to discuss ceilings and mouldings! Joining Andrea to discuss is Sarah Carroll (@sand.and.deliver on Instagram) and Founder and Creative Director of Arlene McIntyre Design, Arlene McIntyre.

Gift vouchers are often given as a present when we can’t think of what to get someone. Last Christmas, over 60% of people received one. However, over 20% of us have still not used our gift vouchers from last year! The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is now advising us to consider giving cash instead… So, do you use yours? Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

The CSO’s Longitudinal Growing Up in Ireland survey has revealed that two in three 18 to 34-year-olds still live in their family home, often not by choice. What impact does this have on family dynamics, and on the parents who essentially have adult lodgers in their home? Joining Andrea to discuss is Freelance Journalist Niamh O’Reilly, Newstalk’s Niamh Dunne, as well as listeners.

Organ donation and transplantation save lives. It’s nearly six months since the Human Tissue Act came into effect on June 17, stating that if you are aged 18 or over, and you don’t specify otherwise, you will be considered a potential organ donor. But, what happens if, in a final act of altruism, a person wishes to go one step further and give their body to science following death? Joining Andrea...

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… Image: Disney

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 what is available to you in the public system.

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 Head Tour Guide at the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, Alan Buckley, who’s going to talk through some of Rory Gallagher’s best live performances!

A new RCSI study of over 4,000 Irish teenagers has found that heavy social media use, body dissatisfaction, and sexting are strongly linked to poorer mental health, especially among girls. The findings raise important concerns about how digital life is affecting young people today. How do you talk to your child about this, and the sharing of explicit images? Joining Andrea to discuss is Ollwyn Mor...

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Mary Bishop, Head of Education at Grow it Yourself to answer any of your vegetable-growing questions!

Are you the type of person to not spend an unnecessary cent? Or, do you shop at every possible opportunity? There can be a fight for the money in your pocket: so, should you be a spender or a saver (or somewhere in between)? Joining Andrea to discuss is John Lowe from MoneyDoctors.ie , as well as listeners.

As the days are getting colder, we should all spare a thought for those among us that don’t have a roof over their heads on these cold nights. There are over 16,000 people living homeless in Ireland at the moment… So, how tough is it to get out of it? Andrea is joined by Marie, who has her own experience of it…

The publicly funded IVF scheme has been running for almost two years. Like any scheme, there’s criteria. You cannot avail of free IVF if you are in a same-sex couple, and you also cannot avail of the scheme if you’re a single person, or if you need to use donor sperm or a donor egg. It turns out a lot of people are excluded - is this fair? Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

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 Dr. Mary Ryan, Endocrinologist and author of ‘It’s Probably Your Hormones’ to discuss how hormones can affect our mood.

Gardaí have launched a road-safety campaign focusing on things like the visibility of pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooter drivers and motorcyclists. But, some are saying that it’s a “dangerous” narrative and putting a lot of the blame on cyclists, rather than promoting safe driving. So, are the criticisms correct, and should cyclists have to wear hi-vis at all times? Joining Andrea to discuss is Edit...

GP in Drumcondra Dr Brian King joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries.

Architect and Presenter of ‘Home of the Year’ Hugh Wallace has sadly passed away at the age of 68. Joining Andrea to pay tribute and remember him is Jenny Sheahan, former winner of ‘Home of the Year’, Peter Finn, better known as Pete the Builder and more. Image: RTÉ

The National Transport Authority is set to begin a phased rollout of contactless payments across TFI Local Link Services today, which is forecast to be complete by the end of 2026. However, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien told an Oireachtas Committee on Transport in June that contactless payments on Dublin transport may not be fully available until 2029… Why is this taking so long? Joining Andr...

We’re officially in the run up to Christmas! For the next few weeks, Lunchtime Live is going to be highlighting some great Irish businesses that you can support this festive season. Today, we’re focusing on toys kids may want to put on their lists to Santa. To discuss, Andrea is joined by Creator of the ‘30 Seconds’ board game Greg Dooley, Owner and CEO of Jiminy Toys Bobbi Cotter, Shop Manager of...

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to. Host of the ‘What’s Trending in F1?’ podcast Elaine Power and Newstalk’s Laura Donnelly join Andrea to review ‘Stockton Street: Venus and Serena Williams’! Image: fwd.

Ireland’s maternity system is set for one of its biggest shake-ups in decades, as plans to phase out private maternity care begin to take shape. The move is aimed at creating a fairer, more consistent experience for expectant mothers, but has sparked mixed reactions from clinicians and patients. Supporters say it will streamline services and reduce inequality, while critics warn it removes the cho...

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Impressionist Al Foran joins Andrea to answer any of your questions around comedy and impressions!