Lunchtime Live

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Franks Greaney, Newstalk's Court Correspondent and host of ‘Inside the Crime’ joins Andrea to answer any of your court coverage questions!

Ronan Keating has revealed Boyzone will “try” to reunite in 2026. Speaking on BBC Radio 2, Ronan Keating says the bandmates have all been chatting over the last few weeks, and 2026 might be a year for Boyzone to "maybe try and do something…" So, do you want to see the group get back together? Andrea is joined by Mikie O’Loughlin, RSVP Magazine Showbiz Editor and Showbiz Editor for the Sunday World Eddie Rowley to discuss.

Dr Asif Iqbal, a Pakistani Doctor, was attacked on his way to his shift in the Emergency Department - being told to “go back home”... He joins Andrea to discuss what happened.

Are you one of those really early risers? The smug ones doing yoga on a green somewhere at half 5 in the morning? What possesses you? Joining Andrea to discuss is Greg Walsh, Yoga Instructor with Temple Bar Yoga, Sports and Exercise Scientist from Mulligainz Fitness, Oisin Mulligan and listeners.

From GAA club bottle collecting to a festival for hot air ballooning, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

Minister Patrick O’Donovan has called for the VAT not to be cut to 9% in the 2026 Budget for hotels. It comes after he said, “hotels are robbing people up to the eyeballs”. With concerts as big as Taylor Swift and Oasis bringing fans in their drones, hotels are being accused of price gouging. Do you agree with the Minister? Should hotels be entitled to a VAT cut? Joining Andrea to discuss is Director of Skylon Hotel in Dublin, Michael Lennon, Owner of the Lansdowne Hotel in Kenmare, Aeleen Hanley as well as listeners.

How do you choose colour in your home? When do you go bold, how does colour impact a space and everything in between? Well, the Home Squad are here to talk about picking the right colour for you! Joining guest host Mairead Ronan to discuss is Róisín Lafferty, Founder & Creative Director of Róisín Lafferty Design House and Sarah Carroll (@sand.and.deliver on Instagram).

Listener Catherine got in touch with the show to share her experience of the M50, where she says that dangerous and reckless driving is now a daily sight… So, is enforcement slipping — or is it just our perception? How big of a problem is dangerous driving? Catherine joins, as well as Shane O’ Donoghue, Editor of CompleteCar.ie, guest host Mairead Ronan to discuss.

Suicide is the highest cause of death for young people in Europe. It has increased in women under 20, though men are more than 3 times more likely to die by suicide than women… So what’s causing it? And what can we do to help more? Joining guest host Mairead Ronan to discuss is Dr Patricia Byrne, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Chris Sherlock, Author, Mental Health Advocate and Antibullying Campaigner and listener Millie. If any of these issues have affected you, you can phone the Samaritans on 116 123.

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 guest host Mairead Ronan to discuss is Newstalk’s Ciara Treacy, who’s going to talk through Amy Winehouse’s ‘Frank’!

Reality TV Star Kim Kardashian sparked a debate when she gave her views on homework. She said that it should be done away with, after appearing on Kai Cenat’s Mafiathon 3 Twitch live stream on Monday. Do you agree, should homework be scrapped? Guest host Mairead Ronan is joined by Kayleigh Trappe, Content Creator & Teacher, Lisa O'Sullivan Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram) and more to discuss.

Last night was the third episode of the Irish Traitors, and the last fix for the week. It’s already a hit around the world, and it’s safe to say that the Irish version is one too. So, what is it about it that has us all hooked? Do we love the deception? Joining Andrea to discuss is Esther McCarthy, Life/Style Daily Features Editor at the Irish Examiner, Chrissie Russell, Feature Writer with the Independent and Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Brendan Kelly.

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: Netflix

Residents living in Dublin may have future costs to an already expensive economy for parking… It comes as parking permits in some parts of Dublin city could increase from €50 to €225, a 350% hike, under a review of parking control bylaws by Dublin City Council. Is this fair on those living in the city centre? If we already pay motor tax, should we have to pay to park our cars outside our homes? Andrea is joined by Chairperson of the Dublin Commuter Coalition, Jason Cullen, Gwen Leyden, Landlord of George’s Street Arcade and listeners to discuss.

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 caesarean sections, and answer any listener questions.

Would you ever consider going back to college a little later in life? What would it take for you to put your normal life on hold for a few years, to train further in something you’ve always wanted to do? Or to learn about something completely new? Joining Andrea to discuss is Jean Barry, who did this herself, and Laura Walshe, Career Guidance Counsellor with FindYourPath.

The newly-appointed Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly is examining proposals to arm more frontline Gardaí with taser stun guns. These guns are already used by specialist units. But, should frontline Gardaí be armed in a bid to better tackle serious violent confrontations? Joining Andrea to discuss is Pat Marry, former Detective Inspector and Senior Investigating Officer and author, Emily Williams, Policing and Justice Policy Officer for the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Graeme McQueen, Media Relations Manager with the DAA to discuss how you can best navigate Dublin Airport, and answer any other airport-related questions!

Leon Dwyer, an Irish Breakdancer, has just finished in the top 4 in the World Breakdancing Championships. But, how did he get this achievement, and how do you judge breakdancing? He joins Andrea to discuss!

According to the HSE, around 450,000 people have doctor-diagnosed asthma in Ireland. In 2022, 87 people in Ireland died from asthma, that is a 36% increase on the average of the previous two years… The UK’s National Review of Asthma deaths found that over two thirds of asthma deaths involved potentially avoidable factors. While Ireland has not yet conducted a comparable national review, many of the same system-level failures are likely at play. Mold and dampness in homes not only affect those with asthma, but it can cause other illnesses. Could our homes be causing us to get sick? Joining Andrea to discuss is Professor Marcus Butler, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at St Vincent's Hospital, Siobhan O'Neill White from mams.ie, CEO of the Asthma Society of Ireland, Eilís Ní Chaithnía and more.