

Lunchtime Live
Newstalk
Andrea Gilligan invites callers to have their say on the topics of the day - get in touch by emailing lunchtimelive@newstalk.com Listen and subscribe to Lunchtime Live on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and entertainmentListen to Newstalk at http://newstalk.com/listenlive | Download the GoLoud app now, the new home for Newstalk
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 4, 2025 • 10min
Reasons to be Happy: Home Alone, Spotify Wrapped, Traitors
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: Disney

Dec 4, 2025 • 13min
Making Babies: What's Available on the Public System?
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 what is available to you in the public system.

Dec 4, 2025 • 10min
The Making of Rory Gallagher’s Live Performances
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 some of Rory Gallagher’s best live performances!

Dec 4, 2025 • 20min
How do you speak to your child about sharing explicit images?
A new RCSI study of over 4,000 Irish teenagers has found that heavy social media use, body dissatisfaction, and sexting are strongly linked to poorer mental health, especially among girls.The findings raise important concerns about how digital life is affecting young people today.How do you talk to your child about this, and the sharing of explicit images?Joining Andrea to discuss is Ollwyn Moran, Neuro Developmental Therapist & Founder of COGNI Kids, Mick Moran, CEO The Irish Internet Hotline and listeners.

Dec 2, 2025 • 12min
Ask the Expert: Growing Veg
For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Mary Bishop, Head of Education at Grow it Yourself to answer any of your vegetable-growing questions!

Dec 2, 2025 • 13min
Are you a spender or a saver?
Are you the type of person to not spend an unnecessary cent? Or, do you shop at every possible opportunity? There can be a fight for the money in your pocket: so, should you be a spender or a saver (or somewhere in between)?Joining Andrea to discuss is John Lowe from MoneyDoctors.ie, as well as listeners.

Dec 2, 2025 • 17min
Is there enough support to help people out of homelessness?
As the days are getting colder, we should all spare a thought for those among us that don’t have a roof over their heads on these cold nights.There are over 16,000 people living homeless in Ireland at the moment…So, how tough is it to get out of it?Andrea is joined by Marie, who has her own experience of it…

Dec 2, 2025 • 11min
Should same-sex couples and single people get free IVF?
The publicly funded IVF scheme has been running for almost two years. Like any scheme, there’s criteria. You cannot avail of free IVF if you are in a same-sex couple, and you also cannot avail of the scheme if you’re a single person, or if you need to use donor sperm or a donor egg.It turns out a lot of people are excluded - is this fair?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Dec 2, 2025 • 13min
How I Live Well: Hormones & Mood
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 Dr. Mary Ryan, Endocrinologist and author of ‘It’s Probably Your Hormones’ to discuss how hormones can affect our mood.

Dec 2, 2025 • 19min
Should cyclists have to wear hi-vis at all times?
Gardaí have launched a road-safety campaign focusing on things like the visibility of pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooter drivers and motorcyclists.But, some are saying that it’s a “dangerous” narrative and putting a lot of the blame on cyclists, rather than promoting safe driving.So, are the criticisms correct, and should cyclists have to wear hi-vis at all times?Joining Andrea to discuss is Editor of Irish Cycle, Cian Ginty, as well as listeners.


