Lunchtime Live

You hear very different information about whether or not coffee is good for you.

There’s a new report out today saying that one cup in the morning is the ideal time, and is better than not drinking any at all.

So, what’s true?

Shelly Gray, Dietitian, joins Andrea to discuss.

Snow and Ice continue to disrupt the whole country today…

To hear more about the effect this weather has had in areas around the country, Andrea is joined by Newstalk’s Henry McKean, Cllr. Charlie Farrelly, Father Iggy O’Donovan, Journalist Édaein O' Connell and Kieran Donaghy from the Tralee Wanders Basketball Club.

Buskers on Grafton Street say they fear for livelihoods as apartments there have been given the go ahead.

They are concerned that noise complaints will target them if people are living nearby.

So, should they be protected?

To discuss, Andrea is joined by Francesco Parodi, a busker on Grafton Street and Andy Kavanaugh from the band Keywest.

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…

Parents should get priority over child-free colleagues on booking annual leave – particularly when children are off school.

That’s according to Freelance Journalist Rhiannon Picton-James who was chatting to Newstalk earlier today...

What do you think?

Should parents get priority booking annual leave over their child-free coworkers?

Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!

We review podcasts every Tuesday so you always have something new to listen to.

This week, host of the ‘For Tech Sake’ podcast Elaine Burke and Tom Douglas from Newstalk’s Newsroom join Andrea to review ‘Bone Valley’!

Image: Lava For Good

New proposed bylaws for soup kitchens have caused a lot of controversy with volunteers in the sector…

There are plans to draft ‘soup kitchen’ bylaws to end groups setting up unregulated services like hot meals to homeless people.

The council said it wants food services to be provided in safe, regulated, indoor settings.

To discuss, Andrea is joined by Lorraine O’Connor from the Muslim Sisters of Éire and Glenda Harrington, the Founder of Friends Helping Friends, an outdoor soup kitchen in Dublin City centre.

You may have heard it on Newstalk Breakfast this morning: despite the government promising the rollout of free HRT to women of all ages – that there has been a delay, seeing patients paying up to €70 for HRT products.

What are your thoughts? Is this delay reasonable given that this had been in the works for some time?

Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

We all know the extra stress that can come with catching a flight, ensuring a suitcase isn’t overweight, that toiletries and liquids are removed from your case, and that all medication is appropriately packed with a prescription visible... Well, even when following this checklist, Andrea’s guest encountered an issue. Dolores Pickering, whose husband Brian, is buried in Ireland, was returning home to visit her husband’s grave with her son for Christmas…

Her son, Jason, suffers with anxiety and uses medical cannabis to alleviate the symptoms. Having traveled with it previously and declaring it upon arrival at any given destination airport, Jason has been asked to produce his prescription certifying the medical use of cannabis… However, on their visit here last Christmas, Dolores says they were interrogated, with the medicinal cannabis confiscated and destroyed in Dublin Airport…

Dolores, as well as Peter Reynolds, Chair of the Ireland Working Group of the Cannabis Industry Council, join Andrea to discuss.

It’s How I Live Well time! Where Andrea Gilligan is joined by someone to discuss what they do to improve their life.

This week, Andrea is joined by Karen Belshaw from Stress Management Ireland to give her best tips on recognising and handling the biggest points of stress in our lives.