Highlights From Lunchtime Live

Secondary schools are apparently completely reliant on parental contributions to stop going into deficit. The average cost of the ‘voluntary’ contributions are around €101 per year at primary level, and €140 at secondary level. Nationally, the Department of Education estimates that these contributions are worth about €30 million a year. So, should they be needed at all? Andrea is joined by INTO General Secretary John Boyle, Simon Lewis, principal and host of the ‘If I was Minister for Education’ podcast as well as listeners to hear their opinions. 

How should you get your patio area ready for the summer? Hardware Expert Alan Grant and Róisín Lafferty, founder and creative director of Kingston Lafferty Design join Andrea with their tips and tricks.

If you’re currently planning your summer holidays – how long are you thinking of going away for? Is it a long weekend? Or maybe a really rare full two week break? Well, both could be a waste of time! Apparently, the ideal holiday length is 8 days…To discuss, Andrea is joined by Sinéad Brady, Career Psychologist and author of ‘Total Reset’.

How often do you sit down as a family to eat a meal? This May, Childline by ISPCC is calling on families, schools, clubs and workplaces throughout the country to take time for breakfast – to sit, listen and enjoy each other’s company. But, has life become too busy to sit down as a family and have meal times together? What’s your experience?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

The debate about drinking in Croke Park is here again -  Should rugby fans be allowed to drink in Croke Park? Would it help the atmosphere or make it worse? Andrea is joined by Gerry Thornley, Rugby Correspondent with the Irish Times as well as listeners to hear their opinions.

It's time for Throwback Thursday, where we look back on things that happened this week in history. Ciaran O’Connor from 98fm joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live…Image: @F1 on Twitter / X

The ‘Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2024 are protesting outside RTÉ later on this evening.  They say that they don’t want “to be represented at an artwashing exercise for the genocidal apartheid state of Israel”. What do you think? Should Ireland boycott the Eurovision?Andrea is joined by singer and songwriter Mary Coughlan as well as listeners to discuss. Image: Alma Bengtsson / EBU

From overpaying your mortgage to how to switch; for this week’s Ask the Expert, we’re putting your mortgage questions to Trevor Grant, Chairperson, Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors.

Are the Irish unable to say ‘no’? That’s what the actor Brian Cox seems to think.Is he right? Do we avoid it? Andrea is joined by Freelance Writer Niamh O’Reilly and Life Coach Mark Fennel to discuss.

Listener Ben has gotten in touch with the show because he’s having an issue with getting his son into a secondary school.He speaks with Andrea about the issue.

Funerals are becoming more and more personal, with a lot more options on how we’d like our final goodbyes to go. And that isn’t just the funeral – you now have even more choices about what will happen to your body after you die. And the newest option is something called ‘water cremation’.Andrea is joined by Elizabeth Oakes, founder of Pure Reflections, to learn more. Colin McAteer from The Green Graveyard company also joins to discuss.

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.  Today FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

Students blockaded the entrance to the Book of Kells exhibition in Trinity College Dublin yesterday in protest against a proposal to increase some programme costs. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union warned that students will take actions that are 'seriously damaging to the reputation and finances of the university' if the increases go ahead. László Molnárfi, President of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union, joins Andrea to discuss what the protest is about. She is also joined by listeners to hear their takes.Image: Trinity News

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to. Andrea was joined by Newstalk's Tech Correspondent and host of 'Tech Talk' Jess Kelly and Elaine Burke, presenter of the 'For Tech’s Sake’  podcast to discuss series 4 of 'Serial'Image: New York Times

A Dublin-based surgeon has returned to Ireland after three weeks volunteering as a doctor in Gaza. Dr Mohammed Shaalan joins Andrea to talk about the experience.

Today marks 30 years since Michael Flatley, Jean Butler and the Riverdance Troop wowed audiences in the Point theatre and worldwide during Eurovision ‘94. What are your memories from the time? How did Riverdance transform Irish Dancing? Andrea is joined by multiple people to look back on Riverdance, including lead dancer Fergus Fitzpatrick, dance professional Ciara Sexton and Susan Ginnety, who was part of the 1994 performance.

A 14 year old boy was home alone yesterday when his house was attacked by a gang of armed raiders. It happened in a rural part of county Louth and local Councillor John Reilly joins Andrea to discuss…

Andrea posed the question of whether it’s okay or not to ask for a discount in a shop.Have you done it before? Or are you dead set against bartering or haggling?Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their opinions.

This year Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become that bit healthier! Over the next few weeks Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well.Andrea was joined by Elaine Fallon from Brookwood Pottery to learn all about the clay craft.

A majority of teenagers attending single-sex schools would prefer their school to be co-educational, a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found. The ESRI has described the findings as "eye-opening". Should all secondary schools be co-ed?  Andrea hears takes from listeners.