Lunchtime Live

With the weather (sometimes!) improving, you will probably be looking to get your garden summer-ready. Well, the Home Squad are here to help you regain that green thumb! Andrea is joined by Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ and Brian Burke, Woodie's DIY & Garden Expert and RTÉ Super Garden judge to discuss.

Can we actually change who we are? Is it possible to reshape your personality? Psychologist Dr. Brent Roberts is known for his research on personality change, and joins Andrea to discuss.

Castletown House, the large public land around Celbridge and Leixlip, is still caught in a battle between the locals and the OPW. There has been a long running stand-off at the heritage site in Co Kildare. Locals have maintained a presence at the entrance to Castletown House since September 2023, which had resulted in the majority of OPW staff not accessing the site. The protests began after an en...

Have you ever heard of financial dysmorphia? A lot of us wish we were better with our finances then we are, but could you be living with this without realising? Joining Andrea to discuss this is Financial Expert, Eoin McGee.

Stepmothers are portrayed negatively in more than two-thirds of films, a study has found. Does this affect dating? Are women avoiding single fathers as potential partners? And what preparations should a family and a new partner make? Joining Andrea to discuss is Mairead Loughman, Matchmaker in Love HQ Mullingar, Katriona O’Sullivan, Psychologist & author, Jim McKee, artist & single parent...

A tax on hotel guests is planned by four Dublin councils... Dublin City Council, Fingal and South Dublin county councils have all signed up to the proposed working group, while Dún Laoghaire Rathdown is close to doing so. Will this be off-putting to visitors and bad news for tourism? Joining Andrea to discuss is Paul Gallagher, CEO of Irish Hotels Federation. Michael Lennon, Director of Skylon Hot...

Aldi is starting to sell wine in aluminum bottles; would you drink it? It has a smaller carbon footprint than glass and could get cold a lot quicker too. Joining Andrea to discuss is owner of the Nude Wine Company, Michelle Lawlor, Director of SIP wine cans Phil Ellison and Tara O'Connor from The Designed Table.

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: Warner Bros

Today, we're talking about something many people experience, but rarely discuss: the guilt that comes with moving away from home. Whether it’s for college, work, or a fresh start, leaving family behind can bring a mix of freedom and emotional weight. Joining Andrea to discuss is Manon Gilbart, Journalist with the Irish Examiner and listeners who have left the country.

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 the steps are if you are having difficulty c...

Do we shower enough? One Spanish TikToker who spent time living in Ireland was astonished at how little we bathe our children and ourselves! Nacho Barrueco told his followers he had noticed that Irish people seemed to bathe less in comparison to those in Spain... “The kids came to class dirty, with the paint from the day before, with two band-aids on their heads… and I thought, damn, it seems they...

From next year, a new EU directive on pay transparency is set to come into force in June, where employers will no longer be able to ask job candidates about their current salary. And, when advertising job vacancies, employers will have to give a range. Is this a step in the right direction? Do we need greater pay transparency? Joining Andrea to discuss is Columnist with the Irish independent Mary...

Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, affects around 1 in 4 people in Ireland: roughly 1.25 million individuals, including many children. With symptoms peaking from spring through late summer, it can seriously impact daily life, especially in urban areas where pollution may worsen reactions. So, how does hay fever affect people in Ireland and what can be done to manage it better? Joining Andrea to answ...

How much fun do you inject into your life? Apparently 89% of Irish people feel they are just “going through the motions”. Joining Andrea to discuss how they have fun is Today FM Presenter, Alison Curtis and Stylist Laura Mullet.

Women using HRT won’t be reimbursed despite the fact that the medication was supposed to be made ‘free’. Free HRT was supposed to come into effect on January 1st, but it has been delayed in a row between the Government and pharmacists. Today, a new date of the 1st of June was announced. Joining Andrea to discuss this is Loretta Dignam, Founder & CEO of The Menopause Hub, Sheena Mitchell, Pharm...

A Senator in Limerick is calling for consumer protection for concert tickets if an artist fails to fulfill their onstage commitments. Fine Gael Senator Maria Byrne joins Andrea to discuss, along with listeners.

It’s How I Live Well time! Where someone joins to discuss what they do to improve their life… Pinball has seen a passionate revival in recent years, and at the heart of this resurgence are community-driven clubs keeping the silver ball spirit alive. Andrea is joined by Donovan Delaney, Founder of Pinbaile: a pinball club that’s become a hub for players of all ages and skill levels! Image: @pinbail...

The number of people travelling from Ireland to the United States fell by 27 per cent in March when compared to the same month last year, figures show. The trend is the same across many other EU countries, caused by Donald Trump’s administration and ongoing trade tensions… To discuss, Andrea is joined by Daniel Mulhall, former Irish Ambassador to US, Patti Shields, Chairperson of Democrats Abroad,...

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

Celebrations went on late into the night last night in Holywood after Rory McIlroy became the first Irish man to win the US Masters, and the 6th ever golf player to achieve the career grand slam. Newstalk Reporter Henry McKean is in Holywood, and joins Andrea to share what he’s seen. Image: Reuters

Future increases in the national minimum pay for workers could be put back due to global economic insecurities. The living wage plan, as well as pension auto-enrolment could be delayed as the Government will instead concentrate on boosting competitiveness in light of rising international trade tensions. Does it all make sense? Joining Andrea to discuss is Nessa Cosgrove, Spokesperson on Workers Ri...

Today, Jeff Bezos’ latest Blue Origin space expedition lifts off, carrying an all-female crew: which includes pop star Katy Perry. It's a landmark trip in terms of gender representation, but is it of any benefit to humankind, and is it just an obscene display of wealth? Joining Andrea to discuss is Space Reporter and Writer Niamh Shaw, Rory Fitzpatrick, CEO of the National Space Centre and John Gi...

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to. Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly and Host of the ‘No Encore’ Music Podcast Dave Hanratty join Andrea to review ‘The Banksy Story Presents: When Banksy Comes to Town’! Image: BBC

There has been plenty of talk over the last number of weeks about people socialising on Drury Street. But, should we be embracing this sort of socialising rather than condemning it? Joining Andrea to discuss is Town Planner Derek Whyte, owner of Drury Buildings Ronan Rogerson, Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael John Crowe, Newstalk’s own Katie Gallagher and more.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Kevin Keyes, Irish & British Superbike Champion, joins Andrea to answer any of your questions when it comes to being a motorbike racer!