Lunchtime Live

Michelle and Sharon got in touch with the show over the long weekend to tell about their experiences in the A&E Department as University Hospital Limerick...

‘How finally accepting I might never become a mother has brought me to a place of peace’ – so says Helen Coffey, Senior features writer for The Independent.  Helen joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live today...

This year Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become that bit healthier!  Over the next few weeks Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well. Andrea was joined by David Keeler, the Co-Owner of Strictly Salsa in Dublin to discuss how good salsa is for us....

Concept plans for a third terminal at Dublin Airport have been submitted to Fingal County Council.    If the plans get the go-ahead it would see land situated between the two runways at the airport as the location for a new airport terminal.   The plans also include a cargo terminal, hotel, car parking and office space.   Current plans for Dublin Airport are aimi...

Tomorrow marks 20 years since the smoking ban was introduced in Ireland.   We were the first country in the world to implement it and there was a great deal of opposition at the time.  Now, 20 years on - What are your memories of the smoking ban being implemented?  Andrea was joined by Finian McGrath, Former TD and Government Minister and others to discuss...

About 450 people are diagnosed with primary brain tumours each year in Ireland.  Tony, a listener, is one of them. He was diagnosed last September aged just 37.  Tony and Fiona Keegan, CEO of Brain Tumour Ireland joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live today...

It's time for Throwback Thursday, where we look back on things that happened this week in history.  Ciaran O’Connor from 98fm joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live... 

Green Part leader Eamon Ryan has revealed 35 proposals to cut vehicle use. Among them is hitting larger vehicles such as SUVs with higher taxes.   Plans to introduce a 'polluter pays' principle, which will help offset tax revenue lost from fuel sales, would include a 'weight-based tax model'.   Should the polluter pay? Andrea was joined by Shane O'Donoghue, Editor of...

From John B. Keane to PopBaby – Irish theatre has a long and rich theatre tradition. Today we’re celebrating World Theatre Day and hearing why it’s so special here.  Andrea was joined by 98fm's Karl Dawson, Edward Hayden, Chef, actor and Chairperson Drama League of Ireland, Amanda Brunker, Writer and Director...

Today is World Bipolar Day. To hear more about what it is like living with bipolar disorder Andrea Gilligan was joined by Bernadette and Liam to discuss...

Apparently almost a quarter of us don’t think our gut health is important.  Andrea was joined by Dr. Zoe Williams, leading UK expert in lifestyle medicine and gut health to find out...

Shops in the UK have been accused of erasing Easter by selling so-called ‘gesture eggs’  The decision to remove the word 'Easter' has sparked anger among Christians who argue that 'without the message of Easter there would be no reason for Easter eggs'.   Are we erasing religion from religious celebrations? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

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.   Newstalk’s own Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in studio to put a smile on your faces...

Should we introduce a tourist tax in hotels? Would it help or hinder the tourism industry?  Sinn Féin has called for a tourist tax to be levied on visitors who stay in hotels in Galway City – would you be in favour of this?  Andrea was joined by Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí Doolan, Ger Flanagan, Youghal Business Alliance Chairman and Founder of Boardwalk Coffee and more to discuss...

Nomophobia is the fear or anxiety of being without your mobile phone or being unable to use it for some reason. This is a growing phobia amongst people and Andrea was joined by Newstalk's Jess Kelly and

This year Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become that bit healthier!  Over the next few weeks Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well. Andrea was joined by Jennifer Rock, Owner of The Skin Nerd and ‘Skingredients’ to discuss skincare... 

Millions of euro has gone unclaimed in the first 40 days of plastic bottle and can deposit return scheme.   So far €1.2 million worth of deposits were returned to customers in the form of vouchers issued by reverse vending machines.   However, that is only a small fraction of the five million bottles and cans which are sold daily in Ireland daily.    What has bee...

Politicians downed over €360k worth of booze last year with over 10k pints of Guinness poured at Dail’s two bars    A pint of the black stuff at Leinster House costs just €5.20 — a fraction of the price of nearby city centre bars. Andrea was joined by Michael Collins TD, Former Minister Shane Ross and other listeners to discuss...

Looking for a last minute staycation over the Easter break? Sarah Slattery, The Travel Expert joined Andrea with some tips and ideas...

This is Lunchtime Live’s Big Batch. Every Monday we’ll be learning new easy to cook batch recipes from Cook Book Author and Recipe writer Sarah Butler to keep you eating well. No more staring into an open fridge looking for inspiration! This week Andrea and Sarah looked at recipes for celebrating this Easter... Follow the hashtag #LLBigBatch for all our recipes.

All Secondary Schools are supposed to have free school books starting this September.  But there are still a number of schools that don’t have their books and there’s a lot of doubt about whether or not this will actually be ready to go by the start of the school year.  Andrea was joined by teachers and parents to discuss...

Every Friday, as part of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ series, we put your questions to people from interesting background or working in different jobs.   Today, Andrea Gilligan was joined by Fr David Vard, Parish Priest in Stradbally, Co Laois...

Today is Daffodil Day, a day organised by the Irish Cancer Society, in which we come together to go all in against cancer. Andrea Gilligan was joined on Lunchtime Live by Chloe Mustaki is a Bristol City and Ireland footballer and Georgie Crawford, Host of The Good Glow podcast and Wellness Advocate...

A study in the UK found that more than half of Britain's dog owners feel they should be entitled to same rights to take time off as parents have    With one in 10 of every believing they should be able to take ‘pet-ernity leave’ when their dog welcomes a litter of puppies. Should pet owners be allowed similar entitlements to time off that parents are given?  Andrea was joined b...

Every day we scour the newspapers but often, many great stories from the regional papers don’t make the headlines. Newstalk's Breakfast Briefing presenter Shane Beatty has rounded up some of the best stories that you might have missed...