Lunchtime Live

After news broke of the death of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt, who had spina bifida and scoliosis, but waited nearly three years for surgery, parents of children with scoliosis have been speaking out about long waiting times and the devastation they have brought to their families… With waiting lists for scoliosis surgeries having grown, and Tánaiste Simon Harris coming under increased pr...

Oasis are back for their first gigs on Irish soil since 2009, with the Oasis Live '25 reunion tour arriving in Dublin for two sold out performances at Croke Park on Saturday and Sunday. Are you excited for the shows? Were you lucky enough to get a ticket? Andrea is joined by Oasis superfans to share in the excitement!

It’s rare that we get such good weather in the summer, but that has been happening recently! But, do we get the chance to make the most of them? Should we get time off work when it’s sunny so that we can go out and enjoy it? Joining Andrea to discuss this is Laura Bambrick, Social Policy Officer with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Sinead Dalton, Content Editor of Evoke.ie and Alan O’Reilly fr...

From brown bread making to wedding rollercoaster taking, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

Independent brewers are facing challenges due to “astronomical” input cost increasing. It comes as some brewers have had to shut their doors due to high running and production costs… High water charges and “archaic and arcane alcohol licensing laws” are some of the other reasons for these closures and the loss of multiple jobs. What needs to be done to keep these breweries in business? Joining And...

Should pets be allowed in public dining spaces? Do you mind having dogs around while you’re drinking a coffee – or to take it one step further – would you eat a sandwich with a cat climbing all over you? What do you think? Is there a hygiene concern? Joining Andrea to discuss is Ronan Flood, Co-Owner PYE Dundrum and The Barbers Bar in Grangegorman, Michael Moynihan, Columnist with the Irish Examin...

Rather than calling in a professional, what are the jobs that you can do yourself, without worrying about breaking the bank? Well, the Home Squad are here to talk about simple DIY fixes! Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Martin Glynn, Founder and CEO of The DIY Academy.

More than 100 organisations have signed a joint letter calling on Israel to stop the "weaponisation of aid" into Gaza, as "starvation deepens". Humanitarian groups, including Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), say they are increasingly being told they are "not authorised" to deliver aid, unless they comply with the stricter Israeli regulations. Joining Andrea to discuss this with his unique...

Are you guilty of doing things or going places, just to take photos of them? If you don’t post about it online, were you even really there? Feature Writer Chrissie Russell explores this in a piece in the Independent today, and joins Andrea, along with Stylist and Journalist Laura Mullet and Journalist Saoirse Hanley to discuss.

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 Oasis’ ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’!

Since the Government took office in January, the number of children awaiting scoliosis surgery has risen from 112 to 131, despite 303 procedures being carried out by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) up to July. CHI noted that the list is constantly changing as patients are added and removed. In 2017, then–Health Minister Simon Harris pledged that no child would wait more than four months for surger...

Would 40 degree temperatures put you off your summer break? Apparently not - a lot of us are still booking our holidays in Europe, despite the heatwave! So, are there cooler places we can look to, to escape the roaring temperatures? Joining Andrea to discuss is Sarah Slattery, Founder of the travelexpert.ie .

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…

Due to a nationwide teacher shortage, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) is calling for improved pay for educators returning from the United Arab Emirates, in an effort to attract and keep qualified professionals. TUI President Anthony Quinn described the current situation as “utterly unacceptable,” highlighting the lack of secure employment for new teachers. A recent union survey revealed that...

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 early signs of labour!

Legislation was brought in in 2021 that banned the reselling of tickets for more than their face value. The idea was to curb ticket touting and protect consumers.  But, why is it still happening? Joining Andrea to discuss is Consumer Journalist and Presenter of the Home Show on Newstalk Sinead Ryan and Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly.

U2 is facing online backlash due to statements of support for Gaza that they posted to social media on Sunday. Critics are saying that it’s “too little, too late” and labeling the statements as “performative.” Joining Andrea to discuss is Arts Journalist Louise Bruton, Singer Mary Coughlan, Co-Founder of the Music & Entertainment Association of Ireland Jackie Conboy, Spin Presenter Jess Spence...

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Dr Alex Andreev, Consultant Ophthalmologist at Eyedoc Eye Clinic in Blanchardstown to answer all of your eye-related questions!

The Ireland India Council has decided to postpone India Day on the back of the recent attacks faced by the Indian community in Ireland since January. Chairman of the Ireland India Council Preshant Shukla expressed how it was a very difficult and emotional decision to make, but expressed that the celebration is merely postponed, not cancelled. Andrea is joined by members of the Indian community, in...

A shortage of Bean an Tí’s could spell the end of the Gaeltacht… It started with the Covid shutdown apparently, and just hasn’t recovered. What can we do to preserve this tradition? Joining Andrea to discuss is Ruairí Ó Donnáin, Principal of Colaiste Machaire Rabhartaidh Gael Linn. Criostóir Ó Faoláin, Stiúrthóir of Coláiste na Rinne and Bríd, a Bean an Tí in Waterford.

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 owner of Ireland’s first Rage Room, Lukas Baltrusis and Psychologist Dr Malie Coyne to discuss controlled smashing in rage rooms!

Castlebar in Mayo has voted in a motion to ban car clamping in the town. So, should clamping be banned across the country? Andrea is joined by Michael Kilcoyne, Independent Councillor on Mayo County Council, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Dr Niall Breen from the Portmarnock GP Clinic joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries.

People are apparently taking selfies at the farm of Michael Gaine… Michael Gaine was murdered earlier this year, and it seems to have stoked up some tourism in the area. Who would do this? Andrea is joined by Independent Kerry TD and Junior Minister Michael Healy-Rae to discuss.

Information obtained by Newstalk Breakfast under freedom of information has shown a sharp drop in fines issued for littering in Dublin City. The data collected has shown that only 68 fines have been given out in 2025. If this continues, there will be an 89% drop in fines in the past two years. That includes a 77% drop in Central Dublin, and just one single fine has been issued in Dublin North cent...