Lunchtime Live

Are you determined to finally get on top of your finances once and for all? For many, looking at your bank account is something you dread, but how should we best manage what’s coming in and what’s coming out? For this edition of Finance Matters, guest host Anna Daly is joined by Paul Merriman of Ask Paul to discuss how to protect what you have now…

Videos circulating online today show huge queues for the DART in Howth as thousands headed to the coast during the warm weather, with public transport struggling to cope with demand… With Iarnród Éireann regularly carrying out line closures during busy weekends and Bank Holidays, is it time to reassess how rail services are scheduled and managed to better accommodate surging passenger demand? Join...

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Frances Cooney, Puppy Raising Supervisor with Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind joins Andrea to answer any of your guide dog related questions!

Have you gotten the shingles vaccine? The vaccine is available privately, but can cost close to €500, leaving it unaffordable and out of reach for most older people... A national petition for this to be made free has gotten more than 23,000 signatures. Guest host Anna Daly is joined by listeners to discuss.

For many parents and children, summer camps can be the highlight of a child’s summer. Making new friends and learning new skills can be great. For others, it can simply be a deep dive into their pockets and a race against the clock to get a place in a camp… How do parents feel about summer camps, and are they really worth it? Joining Anna Daly to discuss is Editor of Cork Beo, Joe O’Sea, parenting...

Sunny spells ahead as this weekend is set to see temperatures rise to 22 degrees! With the grey clouds and showers finally disappearing this weekend, the sun has finally decided to make an appearance. What are your plans for the good weather? Joining Anna Daly to discuss is Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather and Executive Chief of Breffy House Resort in County Mayo, Dean Diplock.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joined guest host Anna Daly with a roundup of some of the stories from across the country this week.

Blue badges in the UK have now become available for drivers with ADHD and anxiety. Numbers for those with hidden disabilities have almost tripled, with the number of permits issued jumping from 18,000 in 2021 to 55,000 last year. So, should people with ADHD and anxiety be eligible for the blue badge here? Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Teresa Gaughan, Access Group member, Disability Ad...

With a mini heatwave approaching, there’s no better time to look at how you can spruce up your outdoor flooring for the summer! This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss all of your options, and what to look out for. Joining guest host Shane Beatty to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Co-Host of ‘Rip it up: The Renovations Podcast’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Interior Stylist Sarah Doyle of Ret...

Want to be more productive while you commute? Why not join a book club! Dublin Bus is running its own book club to help passengers with longer commute times caused by worsening traffic congestion. Siobhán Kelly is the woman behind the book club, and joins Shane Beatty, as well as  Co-Founder of Queer Book Club Dublin Dónal Talbot and Sarah Shanahan from Chapters Bookshop to discuss.

Have you been caught at the boarding gate being charged for oversized luggage? Many of us will be familiar with having to squeeze your suitcase into the carry-on baggage frame in order to board, and some may have been stung with a fee to check in your bag last minute... Well now, it seems that airline staff will be getting even higher bonuses for stopping passengers with bags that are over the lim...

Have you noticed people filming in your gym classes? Well a top New York city studio, Tracy Anderson, has announced a ban on phones in fitness classes after being overrun with Tiktokers filming their workouts... Joining guest host Shane Beatty, owner of No.17 PT, Human Performance and Wellness Coach, John Belton, Content Creator Pádraig Wilson McCarthy and Kate Lenehan from Monday Studio in Rathmi...

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 Shane Beatty to discuss is Alan Buckley from the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, who’s going to talk through the life and work of The Editors!

During the Garda consolidation programme of 2012–2013, around 139 Garda stations across Ireland were closed, with more than 40 sold by 2019. The closures have had a significant impact on rural communities, where many residents feel more vulnerable due to a reduced Garda presence, and concerns about issues such as speeding and drink driving on rural roads… Where is your local garda station, and how...

Anna’s guest, Tracy Martin, has been in a wheelchair for 37 years. Tracy has experience of what it is like for wheelchair users living in rural counties, and the limitations they have compared to the cities. Tracy previously lived in Madrid independently for years, and joins to discuss the differences she has noticed since she returned to Ireland. Also joining to discuss is Bernard Mulvaney from A...

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 Anna Daly in the studio to put a smile on your faces… Image: BBC

More and more people are finding themselves caring for both children and aging loved ones, while also trying to manage work, family, and their own lives. Anna’s guests are living that reality every day in the ‘sandwich’ generation, as they navigate the challenges of caring for elderly parents while keeping everything else afloat…

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies. Professor Shane Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, joins 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 guest host Anna Daly to discuss post birth recovery, and answer listener questions.

Navigating grief is something that each person does differently, but when you are faced with loss in your life... grief can be overwhelming. Stephanie Walsh joins Anna Daly to share how her own experiences influenced her career…

A new report from Daft.ie has revealed a record rise in rents at the start of this year… In the lead up to the controversial new rent rules, Ireland saw the largest quarterly increase in over 20 years. How do you feel about the current renting situation in the country? Guest host Anna Daly is joined by listeners to hear their experiences.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, guest host Anna Daly is joined by Blake Boland, Spokesperson with Dublin Bus, to discuss how to best avoid issues with buses, and answer any of your questions!

As the summer stretches out ahead of us, many will be looking forward to a well deserved break, but if you haven’t organised any holidays, can you make your annual leave work for you? HR Expert at NFP HR Solutions, Caroline Reidy joins Anna Daly to discuss.

With the World Cup set to kick off in June, many Irish fans say they’ll be backing England, with Ireland missing out on qualification for this year’s tournament in America… But, it raises an interesting question: why do so many of us love to see England lose when Ireland are playing, yet find ourselves supporting them when we’re not involved? Will you be cheering the English lads this summer, or a...

We are in the wedding season, so are you facing a summer of multiple invites? Celebrating a big day can be great fun, but it is expensive to be a guest... Shannen Healy has 11 weddings this year - not including her own! She joins Anna to discuss how she’s handling it.

Katie Gallagher, Spin News Anchor, has her finger on the pulse for what’s happening and she joins Andrea with the things you don’t want to miss this week! Image: Netflix