Highlights From Lunchtime Live

The Ross Lake House hotel in Rosscahill in Galway which was due to accommodate 70 asylum seekers this week, was set on fire over the weekend.The incident has been described by Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman as ‘deeply sinister’. 

Every Friday, as part of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ series, we put your questions to people from interesting background or working in different jobs.  Today on the show Andrea was joined by Tony Moran who is an airline pilot with Aer Lingus...

Hospital admissions for dog bites soared by more than 50% in a decade, a new study has found.  Of the 3,158 patients receiving treatment between 2012 and 2021, over 1,200 were children bitten by dogs.  The research, carried out by the Department of Agriculture, University of Limerick and National Health Intelligence Unit, found that over 80% of those requiring hospital treatment were emergency admissions.  Are we careful enough with our dogs? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Isabelle Geraghty is just 26 years of age, yet went through the menopause when she was in her teens. When she was just 13, she was told that she had premature ovarian insufficiency. Andrea was joined by Isabelle on Lunchtime Live today...

Columnist with Irish Independent, Mary McCarthy has decided to put her foot down when it comes to emptying the compost bin at home. Writing on X, Mary says: 'My top gripe with the individuals I live with (my lovely family!!) is nobody empties the compost bin & nobody cleans her...except me...So now I'm going to go on strike...let's see what happens'Mary joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live today...

Kylie Ann Stewart is a 10-year-old girl who has been waiting for crucial surgery on her spine since 2018. If she doesn’t get the soon, she will become inoperable.  Kylie Ann’s mother Catherine joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live today...

A draft law on the use of facial recognition technology will be published by the Government today.  The proposed legislation would allow Gardaí use the technology when searching CCTV footage, which the Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said is vital when it comes to investigating serious crime.  Following the Dublin riots last month, the offences of riot and violent disorder were also included in the legislation. What do you think about this technology being used? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Avid breakfast TV viewers might have noticed something a bit different if they were watching Ireland AM on Virgin Media One today. The show had a ‘World First’ after it was scripted and produced by artificial intelligence. Ireland AM Presenter Tommy Bowe joined Andrea to discuss...Main image: Ireland AM hosts. Picture via @IrelandAMVMTV on Twitter

One of our listeners, Mick, got in touch with the show over an issue he was having reselling tickets for U2 at Sphere in Las Vegas. Mick and Sinead Ryan, presenter on The Home Show on Newstalk joined Adrian Kennedy on the show to discuss…

Apparently only just over half of us will go to a Mass over Christmas. A Newstalk Amárach poll says that 57% of us go to some sort of religious ceremony on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Andrea was joined by Fr Paddy Byrne and other listeners to discuss...

On Saturday 28 October, Deliveroo Driver Joao Ferreira was seriously injured in an incident with a garda vehicle, losing part of his right leg.

Sara Platt travelled to Turkey for a tummy tuck, breast augmentation and uplift after vast weight loss left her with loose skin. However things didn’t go to plan and she has been left with holes in her stomach. She joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to warn other’s about travelling abroad for cosmetic surgery...

Swearing on TV has skyrocketed in recent years with Succession and other hit series like The Wire, Peaky Blinders and Orange is the New Black ranking among the most foul-mouthed.  The annual number of swear words across TV shows and films has surged from fewer than 5,000 in 1985 to over 60,000 last year, according to US recommendation service Enjoy Movies Your Way.  Furthermore, a study carried out by Preply found that Succession was the series finale with the most swear words said throughout. The Wire and Orange is the New Black were in second and third place, over 100 imes behind the HBO series.Is there too much cursing on TV? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

After retirement a lot of people can find it different to make friends, it can be quite a lonely time for people when they finish up in the workplace.  Brendan Kilkenny got in touch with Lunchtime Live because about 10 weeks ago he joined friends of the elderly he says it's changed his life...

Retailers are saying there’s been an explosion in shoplifting in the last two years. They say there’s also been an increase in the amount of violence and intimidation towards their staff.  They met with TDs this morning to see if something can be done. So, I want to hear from retailers today – is this something you’re facing?  Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment at 9.30am this morning. 

The past few years has seen people go mad for airfryers- but could you cook your Christmas dinner in one? The Firefighting Chef Paul Knapp joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live...

Figures compiled from the Irish Times have found that 80% of school-leavers nationally progressed to third level in 2023.  It seems like the standard route for many students but - Do we put too much emphasis on third level education?   Should we be encouraging more people into apprenticeships?  Andrea was joined by Jonathan Graham, the Headmaster of Dundalk’s Grammar School, Kevin Moran, Owner and Project Manager of Kevin Moran Builders, Maureen Lynch, Managing Director with Hays Ireland Recruitment Agency and more to discuss..

A self-professed human guinea pig when it comes to aesthetic beauty treatments, Liz Dwyer once said that she had invested more in her face than her pension.Liz Dwyer, co-founder of Future Beauty & Health Show, and co-host of Fess Up Podcast

Domestic Abuse survivor Nicola Hanney has said major legal and system changes are needed to protect victims of coercive control. She spoke in an RTÉ documentary about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner and father of her child, Garda Paul Moody. Nicola’s decision to relinquish her anonymity was made to help break the cycle of silence that often shrouds victims of domestic abuse and coercive control.  Ruth O’De from Women’s Aid joined Andrea to discuss...

According to new research, plant-based foods are much more appealing when not labeled as vegan. When a food gift basket said it was 'plant-based' or 'vegan' only 20 percent of people chose it but the same basket labeled 'healthy and sustainable' had a 44 percent uptake. Does it affect your purchases if you see ‘vegan’? Andrea Gilligan was joined by Sandra Higgins, Director Go Vegan World, Conor Sweeney from Dae Ice Cream and more to discuss...