Lunchtime Live

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Dr Daryl Hendley Rooney, Museum Curator at the Little Museum of Dublin, joins Andrea to answer any of your questions around being a Museum Curator! Image: Little Museum of Dublin

While it’s customary to see people eat on their own around town, where do we stand about a night in the town with only ourselves as company? Would we rather be surrounded or do we embrace the table reservation for one? Would you go for a drink or dinner on your own? Joining Andrea to discuss this is Lise Hand, Journalist and Commentator, as well as listeners.

Around 26,000 people have applied for HSE funding to take Saxenda, one type of weight loss drug, since 2023. But, if you’re already on weight loss medication - how has it affected you? Joining Andrea to discuss their experiences is Writer and Director Amanda Brunker, as well as listeners.

A number of residents who have installed EV charging bollards in Adamstown have been given notice to remove them, but why exactly? Joining Andrea to discuss is Derren Ó Brádaigh, Sinn Féin Representative for Lucan, Derek Reilly from Nevo.ie and Bhauna Rana, a resident who has been impacted by this.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joined Andrea with a roundup of some of the stories from across the country this week.

First time buyers will now be able to borrow up to 5 times their salary to buy a home, under new proposals by Nua Money. This would be a change from the standard 4 times your salary, and would potentially return to Celtic Tiger lending patterns... So, is this a good move? Joining Andrea to discuss is Ray Cooke from Ray Cooke Auctioneers, Chrissy Hughes, who runs @firsttimebuyersireland on Instagram and listeners.

Inbuilt furniture is having a moment again, from fitted wardrobes and window seats to media walls, but when does it work, and when should you avoid it? This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss all about built-in spaces! Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Jenny Butler from Jennifer Anne Interiors.

Oprah Winfrey has announced that she is coming to Dublin for a special event in the 3Arena. Would you be interested in going? Joining Andrea to discuss is Alexandra Ryan, CEO & Founder of Goss.ie and Norma Murphy, Co-Founder and Creative Director of ‘Up Close With’.

Once again, public transport options are limited for the bank holiday weekend. For DART users, there will be no dart from Connollly to Malahide to Howth, with a number of stations closed, and no additional buses being put on… Do these closures impact your weekend plans? Joining Andrea to discuss is Social Democrats TD for Dublin Bay North Cian O’Callaghan, Alex Garvey, Committee member of Dublin Commuters, Barry Kenny from Irish Rail and listeners.

What makes a perfect host? Is it providing dressing gowns or providing a blanket for dog guests? Is there something we’re all missing? Joining Andrea to discuss is Tara O’Connor from the Designed Table, James Kavanagh, Host of The Simper Life with James and William Podcast and Hazel Burton from the Home Reset.

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 Alan Buckley from the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, who’s going to talk through the life and work of Gorillaz!

How bad has our behavior become on pitch sidelines, not just in adult sports, but at children’s matches? One listener got in touch to express his shock and disgust at what he witnessed at his son’s Feile competition over the weekend. The competition, which was the focus of 14 and 15 year old players, saw management and parents hurling abuse at the young players as well as the other teams management. Is this acceptable behavior, or does more need to be done to put a stop to this? Joining Andrea to discuss is Paddy Osbourne, former Coach and Referee, Lisa O’Sullivan Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram), Antonio Montero, Coach and Founder of the Silent Sideline Campaign and listeners.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals launched its 2026-2030 strategy today. In it, they call for a ban on horse-drawn carriages in major urban areas, and the ban of sulky racing on public roads. Joining Andrea to discuss is Martina Kenny, Co-Founder of My Lovely Horse Rescue and Catriona Lowry, the Reluctant Rescuer and Deirdre Heney, Fianna Fáil Clontarf Ward Councillor and Chairperson of Dublin City Council's Animal Welfare Oversight Committee.

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. Newstalk’s Meghan O’Halloran joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

Do you go to the gym on holiday? Or perhaps are you booking your citybreaks to tie in with triathlons or hyrox events? This seems to be the new trend amongst younger generations. Joining Andrea to discuss is Cheryl Lyons, Co-Founder of Try Train Fitness studio in Drumcondra and Sean Harding, owner of Back to Basics in Tallaght.

The Government is due to announce their fuel supports scheme today. The supports are aimed to help the agriculture, quarries, haulage, fisheries and construction sectors. Are these measures enough, and where does it leave those who work outside these sectors? Joining Andrea to discuss is Haulier Cyril McGuinness, Conor O’Leary, Munster Regional Chair with the Irish Farmer’s Association and listeners.

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies. Andrea will be joined by Professor Shane Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, 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 everything you need to know about inductions.

Do you find yourself rewatching the same TV show over and over again? Why do our brains like rewatching the same things? Joining Andrea to discuss their favourite comfort TV shows and why they love rewatching them is Today FM’s Alison Curtis and Newstalk’s Rory Galvin.

Jet2 Holiday has called for the creation of a national database to track disruptive passengers following chaotic scenes on a flight bound for Britain on Monday. An Irish passenger was filmed hurling verbal abuse at fellow travelers and airline staff. As tensions escalated, he appeared to confront the cabin crew, shouting: “I’m ready! I’m ready now! I need this! I’m Irish.” Incidents like this are not uncommon on flights, raising concerns about passenger safety and crew wellbeing. Do you think a national database should be introduced to identify and potentially ban disruptive individuals from future travel? Joining Andrea to discuss is former Air Hostess and author of ‘Confessions of an Air Hostess’ Marisa Mackle, Travel Writer and Broadcaster, Joan Scales and listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Dr Ellen McSweeny with Irish Blood Transfusion Service to answer any of your blood donation questions!