Lunchtime Live

Plans in Brussels for the driving age to be lowered to 16 years of age by installing a speed-limiting device have been met with mixed reactions. Some have welcomed the move citing transport difficulties especially in rural areas, others worry whether 16 year olds will actually use the speed limiting device and the danger they will pose to other motorists. Clare McKenna was joined by listeners to d...

Holiday season kicked off in earnest over the bank holiday weekend and Eoghan Corry, Editor of Air and Travel Magazine, joined Clare McKenna to answer any niggling travel questions listeners have...

Australia is to ban recreational vaping in one of the biggest crackdowns on the tobacco industry. The government aims to ban all disposable vapes, which often come in fruity flavours, ban the import of non-prescription vapes and limit nicotine levels, aiming for the sale of vapes to be confined to helping smokers quit. Clare McKenna spoke to listeners on Lunchtime Live...

Last month we heard about how law enforcement is cracking down on illegal TV streaming networks – so called ‘dodgy boxes’. A story making headlines today discussed the case of a Dublin man who sold android boxes allowing cheap access to thousands of TV channels being sentenced to 240 hours of community service. While illegal here – dodgy boxes are extraordinarily common. What do you think about th...

This week, Newstalk is partnering with Make-A-Wish Ireland to celebrate Wish Week. All week we've been talking to incredibly brave children and their families. And hearing about how Make-A-Wish has given them hope during the harder times in their lives.  Adrian Kennedy was joined by Avril Walsh Evans. Avril's son, Matthew, has adenylosuccinate lyase deficiency. Medical advancements mean the sympto...

Sinn Fein's Vice President and First Minister designate, Michelle O'Neill has said she will attend the coronation of King Charles in the United Kingdom next week. Adrian Kennedy was joined by People Before Profit Councilor Madeleine Johansson and other listeners to discuss...

A new billboard by PETA states that eating fish is comparable to eating cats. The advert, which is in the UK, shows a fishmonger holding up a fish which changes to a dead cat. Locals in the area say they are horrified by the sign. What do you think? Is there a difference between eating a fish and eating a cat? Adrian Kennedy was joined by Jennifer White, PETA Media and Communications Manager anod...

The government will today unveil their first ever Clean Air Strategy which will aim to cut down on air pollution in Ireland. The EPA estimate there are 1,300 premature deaths annually in Ireland due to poor air quality. Should the use of stoves and open fires be banned? Adrian Kennedy was joined by listeners to discuss…

A board has been set up to tackle anti-social behaviour in Cherry Orchard. It will include people from the local community, the Guards, the HSE, and local authorities. The idea is to support the community, and to try to stop anti-social behaviour and violence in the area. But will it work? Is this what the community needs? Adrian Kennedy was joined by listeners to discuss...

Young farmers have been walking through the night as part of a march to highlight the challenges facing young people in rural Ireland. Members of 'Macra na Feirme' began the 79km walk from their headquarters in Athy to Merrion Square yesterday afternoon. Adrian Kennedy was joined by Liam Hanrahan, Chairperson of agriculture affairs committee in Macra na Feirme, Thomas, Laura and more to discuss...

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy tweeted a picture of a group of people protesting outside his family home last night. How far is too far? Is protesting outside a politicians house crossing boundaries? Paul Murphy's partner Jess Spear joined Adrian Kennedy to discuss what happened. Other listeners also joined the discussion on Lunchtime Live to discuss... Image: Twitter @paulmurphy_TD

New legislation for stalking in Ireland has been delayed since last year. A new offence of stalking has been proposed by the Government but has yet to be acted upon. In comparison it’s been announced that since Northern Ireland brought in new stalking laws a year ago, 88 people have been arrested and 47 people have been charged. Adrian Kennedy was joined by Eve McDowell, co-founder of Stalking.ie...

The new junior cycle curriculum will ensure that all secondary schools teach gender identity as part of a revised sexual education programme beginning in September. The Catholic Secondary School Parents Association have accused policymakers of “seeking to promote an ideology that refuses to acknowledge basic biological facts in favour of a new gender self-identity doctrine” while others have welco...

Fifty Irish citizens have been evacuated from Sudan since yesterday and the Tanaiste has said he thinks there are about 150 there in total. Members of the Army Ranger Wing, the Defence Forces special operations unit have been dispatched to Sudan to help. Adrian Kennedy was joined on Lunchtime Live by Retired Lieutenant Colonel and airport safety and security auditor Kevin Byrne, Doctor Aia Mohamme...

Frontline members of An Gardaí Síochána believe that they should be able to use tasers in response to the soaring number of assaults on their members. What do you think? Would you like to see Gardaí carrying tasers? Adrian Kennedy was joined on Lunchtime Live by Richard, a former police officer, Liam Herrick, Executive Director with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and other listeners to disc...

A video has gone viral online of what appears to be a landlord abusing a tenant, an immigrant doctor with a family of two young children. Dr Muhammed Raheel, the tenant and his colleague, Dr Liqa Ur Rehman joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live on Newstalk to discuss...

Stephen Silver has been handed the mandatory life sentence for the capital murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. Silver shot Detective Horkan after taking his gun off him as he tried to arrest him in Castlerea, County Roscommon in June 2020. Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Newstalk’s Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney and Liam Breheny, Colm Horkan’s cousin…

Being a carer for a family member or a loved one is a full time and often exhausting role. Currently in Ireland respite care is extremly hard come by for those caring for their family. Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Kevin, Tracey and Jane to discuss...

A photo of a tourist visiting Auschwitz has gone viral online. They’re posing in front of the buildings in a way that’s been called inappropriate. People are saying tourists have lost all respect and don’t know how to behave in sensitive sites. Have you ever seen this when visiting historically sensitive sites? Andrea Gilligan was joined by Oliver Sears, Founder of Holocaust Awareness Ireland, Dr...

Motorists parking their car in Dublin’s Phoenix Park may have to pay to do so in the future. The Office of Public Works has flagged to politicians the potential introduction of parking charges “across the entirety of the park”. What do you think of the idea? Andrea Gilligan was joined by listeners to discuss..

Aoife Griffin is a shining light in Irish motorcycle racing. However, she has been unable to compete in any racing events this year as the governing body of motorcycling cannot get public liability insurance. Aoife joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live to discuss…

Should everyone who earns €46,000 or less get free doctors appointments? The Irish Medical Organisation doesn’t think so – they think it could clog up an already overwhelmed medical service. The expansion of free GP care was announced as part of Budget 2023. The IMO say they would need an extra 1,100 GPs for something like that to work. So should everyone earning €46,000 get free doctors visits? A...

Plans to name a bridge near Croke Park stadium ‘Bloody Sunday Bridge’ have been branded ‘crude’, ‘inflammatory’ and ‘divisive’. Dublin City Council are to debate renaming canal bridge in honour of the 14 killed by Crown forces in 1920. Is naming a bridge at Croke Park ‘Bloody Sunday’ Bridge a good idea? Andrea Gilligan was joined by listeners on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

Calls are mounting for better maternity care in Ireland and for restrictions in maternity care imposed during covid-19 to be lifted. Campaigners says partners continue to be restricted from attending antenatal appointments. The calls come as hospitals are considering easing mask restrictions however some restrictions remain for maternity care. Andrea was joined by Rachel Fanagan-Bermingham one of...

In the Irish Independent today, journalist and beef and dairy farmer Hannah Quinn-Mulligan writes: ‘Pretending there isn’t a substantial market for marijuana is pointless – we should legalise it and let Irish farmers cash in’ To discuss this further Andrea was joined by Hannah Quinn Mulligan, Mike, Donal and Denis…