Highlights from Lunchtime Live

For this week's Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Pat Keville, owner of the Plant Store in Dublin to answer any of your plant-related questions!

No, it's not an episode of Black Mirror, AI actors are supposedly an up and coming thing. Tilly Norwood is an AI actress made by company Particle6, but the real question is: would you watch an AI actor? Or, would you rather stick with the real thing?Joining Andrea to discuss is Casting Director Shauna Griffith and Aisling Goodwin, Actor and Dialect Coach.Image: Xicoia

As we move from summer into the winter months, the weather is getting darker and more gloomy.And it's not just the general atmosphere that's affected, as storm season will soon get underway…But, is the Government prepared to tackle extreme weather events?The Climate Advisory Council has warned that there has been no tangible storm action taken since storms Darragh and Eowyn, which wreaked havoc across the country earlier this year.Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

“Text me when you get home” is a very common phrase used among women. Whether you are jumping in a taxi after a night out, or driving home from the cinema, the departure among girls and their friends is one that always ensures that they get home safely.Andrea's two guests are so well versed in this topic that they have dedicated a comedy show to it.In partnership with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, comedians Claire Roche and Justine Halpin will be performing their comedy show ‘Are Ya Alright Getting Home?'. They join Andrea to discuss.If you ever need it, the Dublin Rape Crisis phone number is available 24/7 on 1800 77 88 88.

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 Tim Pringle, Hidden Hearing's Chief Audiologist in Northern Ireland to discuss ear wax removal!

Transport Minister Darragh O'Brien will seek approval today for legislation to remove the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. As it stands, the cap is set at 32 million passengers per year. By lifting the cap, it will mean that there will be no restrictions on the number of people entering and exiting Dublin Airport each year.The cap was initially brought in in 2007 after the construction of Terminal 2. Since then, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has been calling on the Government to scrap the cap, as he feels it is long overdue…So, should it be done?Joining Andrea to discuss is Cathal Boland, Fingal Independent Councillor, Hotelier and bar owner, Eoin Doyle, Irish Environmentalist Duncan Stewart, owner of Vaughan Lodge Hotel Lahinch, Michael Vaughan and listeners.

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

It was a case that gripped the nation: the murder of Tina Satchwell by her husband as she tried to escape from his coercive control…After killing his wife, Richard Satchwell stored her body in a fridge freezer for several days before burying her in a grave he had dug underneath the stairs of their home.Virgin Media Courts Correspondent Deborah Naylor joins Andrea to discuss the documentary ‘The Trial of Richard Satchwell' which will air tonight…

Team Europe took victory over team USA in the 2025 Ryder Cup over the weekend. The European team which claimed a 15-13 victory over the USA team were victorious in their win, after being faced by unnecessary heckling.It wasn't only the players that faced abuse. Erika McIlroy was seen wiping away tears after US fans shouted abuse at her as well as having a drink spilled over her…This is not something we are used to seeing in golf. What has changed within this sport, and what needs to be done to prevent this happening in the future?Joining Andrea to discuss is Journalist and Presenter of Golf Weekly podcast, Fionn Davenport, English Professional Golfer Annabel Dimmock, General Manager with Sligo Golf Club, David O'Donovan and more.

Andrea was joined last week by parents who are struggling to get help for their children living with eating disorders…It got a huge reaction, and it's obviously something that they're not alone with.Today Andrea is joined by Lynda Duffy, a Licensed RTT Practitioner with personal experience of this. They discuss the disorder, and what the current state of support services are.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Sarah Jayne Tobin, Editor of DMG and Tom Douglas from the Newstalk Newsroom join Andrea to review ‘Unicorn Girl'!Image: Apple Podcasts

Dublin has made international headlines recently, not for its charm, but for concerns around safety, especially after an NFL player was reportedly assaulted in the city centre over the weekend…Is this a one-off incident, or is Dublin's global reputation starting to shift? Is Dublin getting a bad name abroad? What can be done to improve things?Joining Andrea to discuss is Ian Redmond, owner of Hyde and Doug's Bar, as well as listeners.

For this week's Ask Me Anything, Gavin O'Hagan, Airside Service Delivery Manager with Dublin Airport, joins Andrea to answer any of your airport managing questions!

Time Out Magazine has put The Liberties in Dublin on its list for the 39 coolest neighbourhoods in the world.Does it deserve to be there?Joining Andrea to discuss is Kevin O'Kelly Jr, owner of the Thomas House Pub and Amy Ryan, Visitor Services Manager at Marsh's Library Liberties.

Yesterday, Andrea spoke with Paula Crotty who discussed losing her daughter to an eating disorder…It got a really big reaction, so we want to stay with it.How big of an issue are eating disorders in Ireland?Joining Andrea to discuss is Aveen Bannon, Dietican with the Dublin Nutrition Centre, as well as listeners with experience…

Many people are at risk of being evicted and made homeless after the Government's announcement this week that it will exempt small cabin homes on family land, such as back gardens, from planning rules…The plan has come too late for Andrea's guest, who demolished his timber chalet-style home last month. Brendan McDonagh from Brittas lost an eight-year battle to keep a timber chalet-style home he built on his parents' land in Brittas, in the foothills of the Dublin mountains. He was fined €2,000 in the District Court.Brendan and his family did not qualify for HAP, and built their log cabin as a place for him, his wife and two children to live.Since the demolition, their friends have rallied around them to set up a GoFundMe for the family.Brendan joins Andrea to discuss, as well as Town Planner Derek Whyte.

From Waterford boy racers to Limerick jazz, Newstalk's Eamonn Torsney joins Andrea with the stories from around the country that you might have missed this week…

American Football is back in Dublin, and this time, it's bigger than ever!The Vikings and the Steelers will be going head to head in Croke Park this Sunday, as thousands of international fans flock to Ireland to watch the match.But, are we rolling out too much of a red carpet for the event?Andrea is joined by Independent Councillor Mannix Flynn, Cian Fahey from Off the Ball, as well as listeners, to discuss.

When you want to make a big change to your home, there are few better options than your windows and doors, both inside and outside of the house.From variety to cost to inflation, the Home Squad are here to discuss choosing windows and doors!Joining Andrea to discuss is Martin Glynn, Founder and CEO of The DIY Academy and Jenny Sheahan, former winner of ‘Home of the Year' and @workerscottage on instagram.

Andrea's guest attempted to buy and sell clothes sustainably on Vinted. Laura Burke sold a dress on the platform for €75 to a French customer. Going about delivering her parcel correctly and on time, she thought she had done everything the same way she normally does. It wasn't until she was told that she had scammed the customer that she realized she herself was being scammed…Laura joins Andrea to tell the story, and Rosalyne Lipsett, Fashion Broadcaster with Ireland AM also joins to discuss.

Ticketmaster is being forced to change how it advertises tickets after the dramatic Oasis dynamic pricing backlash.They'll have to tell fans 24 hours in advance if a “tiered” pricing system is being used as it was for Oasis standing tickets.And they'll have to provide more information during online queueing, so you'll know when the cheaper batch of tickets have sold out.So, does this go far enough?Joining Andrea to discuss is Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly, CEO of First Music Contact Angela Dorgan and listeners.

When a loved one has an eating disorder, what help is available to them?Paula Crotty lost her daughter Jennifer two years ago to an eating disorder, and is Founder of CARED Ireland, a support group for parents and carers for loved ones with eating disorders. Jenny Langley, is a lived experienced carer and workshop facilitator.They join Andrea 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 Simply Red's album ‘Stars'!

With Ireland's housing crisis showing no signs of easing, the Government has confirmed that the First Homes Scheme will remain limited to new builds in Budget 2026 — excluding second-hand homes, despite earlier commitments.This decision has raised fresh questions about affordability, access, and the Government's broader housing strategy…Joining Andrea to discuss is Ciarán Mulqueen from Crazy House Prices, as well as listeners.

Do you find yourself doomscrolling for hours, even though there's a million other things you'd rather be doing?We're all prone to spending too much time on our phones, but when is enough, enough? Singer Cian Ducrot recently encouraged people to get rid of their social media to improve their mental health.Joining Andrea to share their experiences of this is Rosanna Irwin. Founder of Samsú Digital Detox Cabins, Sarah Madden, Newstalk Reporter and Hilda Burke, Psychotherapist & author of ‘The Phone Addiction Workbook'.

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…

Were you watching The Traitors? It's safe to say that it was a brilliant finale.Spoiler alert! The Faithfuls finally scuppered the Traitors in a dramatic ending, to win the prize money.Andrea is joined by two of the winners, Vanessa and Oyin, to chat about the experience!

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 topic of preterm birth.

The Office of Public Works have culled more than 118 deer in Phoenix Park since the beginning of last year. It comes after they have paid €17,000 to snipers to manage the deer population in the capital.UCD, who tag fawns and keep track of the deer population in the park, found that the way deer were being targeted for culls by the OPW up to 2018 was “not a recommended approach”.The report recommended that “at least 65 individuals” should be targeted during each culling season in order to keep the deer population in the Phoenix Park “stable and sustainable”.Is culling deer the best approach to managing this population, or are there alternative measures to manage these animals?Joining Andrea to discuss is John Tierney from the Association of Hunt Saboteurs, as well as listeners.

A record number of secondary school students were offered Irish exemptions in the 2024-2025 school year, according to figures from a TG4 Investigates series due to be broadcast tonight.Over 60,000 students were not required to study Irish, up more than 5,000 from the previous year…The Director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, Paul Crone, claimed that part of the reason for this is the pressure put on principals by parents.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Eric Nelligan, Assistant Principal and member of Aontú, Bill Clear, local Naas Councillor, Aodhán O'Dea. Director of Development with Conradh na Gaeilge, Lisa O'Sullivan Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram) and more.

For this week's Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Chartered Physiotherapist Tony Spain to answer your physio questions!

People are paying to have spiders removed from their homes!According to the app Airtasker, where you can hire tradespeople, people are paying up to €600 to have people come to their homes and remove spiders…Does this seem bonkers or totally reasonable to you?Trevor Hayden, from Complete Pest Control, Collie Ennis, Zoology Research Associate at Trinity College Dublin and Biodiversity Officer and Dr John Francis Leader Psychologist from JFL.com join Andrea to discuss.

The household waste collection system could be due for a revamp. Bin companies may start to take ­responsibility for an entire geographic area rather than competing for customers on the same street.The new change, however, may come at a cost to customers as they will no longer be in competition with one another, meaning companies will have full control over their costs.We want to know what do our listeners feel about the change, would you like to only have one bin provider in your locality?Joining Andrea to discuss is former Irish Rugby International and owner of AWD Waste Solutions Shane Byrne, Consumer Journalist with the Irish Independent and Presenter of the Home Show on Newstalk, Sinead Ryan and listeners.

Since arriving on Irish television, The Traitors has become an instant nationwide hit, as viewers have been sucked into the fun, games and treachery playing out in Slane Castle.With the final episode set to air tonight, who do you think will win the competition, and what has been your favourite moment so far?Joining Andrea to discuss is Chrissie Russell. Feature Writer with the Independent, Eoin Sheahan from Off The Ball and listeners.

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 Nutritionist Aileen Cox Blundell (@babyledfeeding on Instagram) to talk about her line of work!

Minister for Education Helen McEntee wants works by William Shakespeare to remain compulsory for Leaving Cert English.Policymakers had proposed that it be optional for higher level students…What do you think, should it stay the way it is, or should students have a choice?Joining Andrea to discuss is Conor Murphy, English teacher in Skibbereen Community School, Dr. Ellen Howley, Assistant Professor at DCU's School of English and listeners.

Dr Nina Byrnes, GP at Generation Health Medical Clinic joined guest host Anna Daly to tackle your medical queries...

Dunnes Stores have gotten into a little bit of legal trouble with one of their new products. Longchamp, the luxury French bagmaker, are alleging that Dunnes stole their idea for a bag, but Dunnes claim they've done nothing wrong. Are similar fashion products theft? Or is it all part of the industry?And, do you buy so-called ‘dupe' products?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Esther McCarthy, Life and Style Features Editor at the Irish Examiner and Jacinta Carraher, owner of Purple Peach.Images: Dunnes, Longchamp

A piece in today's Irish Independent covers a Dublin teacher who has said that he's had to leave his job because he can't afford to rent in the city anymore…It got us thinking – should public sector workers in Dublin get an extra payment levy to keep them in the capital?They do it in other cities like London, so why not here?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Mark Candon, Principal of St. Laurence O'Toole's National School in Dublin, Jason Cullen from the Dublin Commuter Coalition, and listeners.

Matcha has become a global trend, but many still aren't sure what it actually is…Guest host Anna Daly is joined by Tessa Ndjonko, Journalist, Shelly Grey, Today FM presenter & Dietician and Brendan McManamon, owner of Deja Brew to talk about all things matcha, and why it's so popular!

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Laura Mullet Journalist and Stylist and Elaine Burke, Presenter of the ‘For Tech's Sake' podcast join guest host Anna Daly to review ‘There's A Lot I Haven't Asked'!

A new primary school curriculum will be phased in from next year. The curriculum, which will be published today, will mean that children in 5th and 6th class will learn about different sexual orientations including homosexuality and bisexuality.Students will also begin to learn a foreign language, as well as incorporating arts and science and double PE and SPHE classes per week.So, are schools doing the right thing by changing the curriculum?Joining guest host Anna Daly to discuss is Principal of Mother of Divine Grace National School in Finglas, Eoin Dolan, Comedian and father Keego and listeners.