Lunchtime Live

Women4Election yesterday announced their new CEO as Brian Sheehan and it caused a huge backlash online. Is it really a good idea for Women4 Election, an organisation that helps women get elected to the local and national government, to hire a man in their most senior role? Andrea Gilligan was joined on Lunchtime Live by Fine Gael Senator Regina Doherty, Linda, John and more to discuss...

Two of this weekend's big All-Ireland quarter finals will be shown only on GAA GO. Saturday's double-header will be broadcast exclusively on the streaming platform. Kerry vs Tyrone and Armagh vs Monaghan will not be on terrestrial television and will be behind the paywall instead. Despite having played five championship games, Kerry's clash with Clare was the only time they’ve been broadcast on li...

Lewis Capaldi announced this week that he’s taking a break from touring to focus on his mental and physical well being. He spoke about getting diagnosed with Tourettes last year, and how he has struggled with the impact it’s had on him. Tourette’s syndrome is a nervous system disorder that causes repetitive movements, sounds, or tics that cannot be easily controlled. James MacInerney, Make Up Arti...

Galway County Council are considering a proposal to ban smoking in designated outdoor dining areas across the county. What do you think? Should smoking be banned in outdoor dining areas? Would you like to see this be considered nationwide?

Childcare providers from across the country are protesting in Dublin today about funding and fees. They’re saying the sector is in crisis and if something doesn’t change soon, a lot of them will have to close. How hard is it to get childcare in Ireland? When did you put your child on the waiting list? Andrea was joined by Paula Donohoe is the owner of Clever Cloggs Creche in Ballyconnell, John, ow...

Would you eat meat that was grown in a lab? The Unites States has become the second country to go ahead to make lab grown meat commercially available. They have granted approvals to two companies to sell chicken grown directly from animal cells in a lab. Singapore gave lab grown chicken the green light back in 2020. Is it the way of the future? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Podcaster, writer and LGBT Ireland programme manager James O’Hagan told Newstalk Breakfast says his Dublin Pride experience was soured after he was twice approached by strangers ridiculing his weight. Mr O’Hagan said the experiences were "so at odds with what Pride is all about and what we want to be as an LGBTQ+ community". Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss their experiences of fat-shamin...

The government are offering up to €80,000 to purchase a property in one of the country's offshore islands as part of the ‘Our Living Islands' scheme. Andrea was joined by Chloe O'Malley, manager of Inis Oirr Island Co-Op, Jerry in Arranmore, Tom O'Malley on Clare Island and Billy O’Connor on the Blasket Islands...

Angeline, a listener, got in touch to talk about carers of the opposite sex. Her mother is receiving respite care after having pneumonia. During her stay in the care home she received intimate care from a male member of staff. Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Angeline and Stefan, who is a male nurse...

It’s been revealed that not even a third of Irish cities are considered clean. A survey by Irish Business Against Litter has found the majority of Ireland's towns are clean, but two-thirds of city areas are littered. Vapes were included for the first time, masks were found in quite a few sites and coffee cups were really common. But who’s to blame? Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Martin McG...

Lunchtime Live's Summer Memories series is back! Andrea chats to some well known faces and reminisce over those long summer days.  First up, Comedian Emma Doran joined Andrea in studio...

The Irish Cancer Society has launched the Leave Our Leave campaign to force the Government to change the Maternity Protection Act 2004. Currently, women cannot defer their maternity leave while they are being treated and recovering from cancer. Following Andrea's conversation with Erica on the show yesterday, she was joined today by Mary and Emma who have similar experiences...

Online abuse, and abuse towards our politicians is becoming a common occurence. Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is the latest victim. He joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss... Image: Facebook via Cathal Crowe TD

RTE has admitted to undeclared payments to Ryan Tubridy of 345 thousand euro between 2017 and 2022. The broadcaster has also suspended Director General Dee Forbes. An emergency meeting of members of the National Union of Journalists working for RTE will be held today. What do you think? Does it bring into question the licence fee? Is it time to scrap it? Andrea was joined by Michael McNamara, Inde...

Currently in Ireland, women can’t defer their maternity leave while they are being treated and recovering from cancer. The Irish Cancer Society's Leave Our Leave campaign, which calls the legislation ‘unfair’, is fighting for change. Andrea Gilligan was joined by Erica to discuss...

In May this yea, it was announced that fashion brand SHEIN were opening an Irish pop-up store and there was outrage among people as the brand promotes fast fashion. Today, many celebrated a new Penneys store was opened in Dundrum Town Centre? Why is it not the same reaction with the opening of a huge Penneys store in Dundrum? Andrea was joined by Neale Richmond TD, Minister of State at the Departm...

When exactly is a child old enough to be left at home on their own? It is something that more people will be thinking about now that children are off for the summer – especially now that most households have two working parents. Speaking on Newstalk earlier today Dr David Coleman, Clinical Psychologist, raised some of the issues to consider when leaving a child at home alone. Andrea Gilligan was j...

Kim Kardashian has said that she still has imposter syndrome despite her enormous global success. She said her brand 'Skims, which was founded in 2019, has exceeded everything that she ever imagined". Imposter syndrome is the feeling that we’re going to be found out or feeling like we are a fraud. It’s the idea of feeling that we aren’t as good as people think we are. Andrea Gilligan was joined by...

Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Ivan to discuss being attacked whilst out walking with his husband and their dog...

Employees at an Iceland store in north Dublin arrived at work this morning only to find that there store had been closed. A large crowd has now gathered outside the store, and three employees have occupied the premises. Jeannette, employee and shop steward for Iceland joined Andrea from inside the store...

Should landlords be allowed set rules for what you do in your rented apartment? A landlord in New York set tongues wagging after posting an advert for an apartment which said that there was only one house rule - “no meat/fish in the building.” Meat eaters were not banned but the cooking of meat and fish was. Is this fair? Should landlords be allowed have rules like this? Andrea was joined by Cathe...

Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Irish Independent Journalist Kirsty Blake Knox to discuss coping with pet grief, after her dog passed away at the age of 11...

Taylor Swift has announced back-to-back concerts in the Aviva Stadium on 28th and 29th June next year. However, any Swifties who live outside of Dublin could find the price of the ticket is the cheapest thing about the event; to stay in a triple deluxe room on Harcourt Street’s Iveagh Garden Hotel will cost €999 on 29th June next year. Andrea Gilligan was joined on Lunchtime Live by listeners and...

A psychologist in the US thinks our love of all things crime might actually be a bad thing. Dr Thema Bryant appeared on The Mel Robbins Podcast to say it can be a bit of a red flag if you find it relaxing to hear about horrific murders and crime. Is our love of true crime something we need to be worried about? Andrea was joined by Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Tech Correspondent, Frank Greany, Host of In...

Should there be restrictions on songs that can be played at funerals? Or should you be allowed do what you want? According to research by UK funeral directors, hymns are on the way back in, with their revival being credit to the Queens funeral. Some of the non-secular songs making the list included the classic 'Time to Say Goodbye' and also 'You’ll Never Walk Alone' by Gerry and The Pacemakers. To...