Lunchtime Live

Ireland AM Presenter Alan Hughes and his husband Karl were at the receiving end of homophobic slurs as they walked down Grafton Street last week.

Alan joins Andrea to discuss what occurred.

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.

Rebecca Shekleton, Presenter of 98fm’s Big Breakfast joined Andrea this week to share all the things to make you smile!

Image: Heinz

Officials from the Board of the new National Children's Hospital are being questioned by an Oireachtas Health Committee today.

It comes as the contractor BAM has moved the completion date for the hospital, originally due to open in 2020, 14 times.

The completion cost is now estimated to be over €2.2 billion.

How has this been allowed to happen?

To discuss, Andrea is joined by Kirsty Blake Knox, Journalist with the Irish Independent, Bernard Mulvany from Access For All Ireland and Anna Gunning, CEO of Children in Hospital Ireland.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!

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

This week, Andrea was joined by Ciara O’Brien, Irish Times Business and Technology Correspondent and Broadcaster Padraig Wilson to review Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ ‘Wiser than Me’!

Image: Lemonada

The ultimate in comfort TV returns tonight as 12 bakers take to the tent in the Great British Bake Off, but what has made it such a favourite amongst TV viewers?

Andrea is joined by former contestant Rebecca Lightbody and Graham Herterich, aka ‘The Cupcake Bloke’, to discuss.

Image: Channel 4

The Israeli military has said it hit dozens of Hezbollah targets in several areas of southern Lebanon overnight.

Yesterday, Israeli air strikes killed at least 492 people, including 35 children, the health ministry said, marking the deadliest day of cross-border violence since the Gaza war began.

A spokesperson for the Defence Forces has confirmed that all Irish soldiers currently deployed in Lebanon are “safe and accounted for”. But, should we be worried for their safety in future?

Andrea is joined by Senator Tom Clonan, Security analyst, Retired Army Officer, Independent Senator and Dorcha Lee Retired Army Colonel and Peacekeeper and Raymond Murphy, Professor at the Irish Centre For Human Rights to discuss.

Cork’s water issues are unfortunately continuing - and a listener calls into the show to give their experience.

John Howard from the Ballyhooly Community Council as well as Cllr Nelius Cotter join Andrea to discuss the water issues they are having in Ballyhooly in Cork.

This year on Lunchtime Live we’ve been looking at things that we can do in order to make ourselves that bit happier and healthier.

This week, Andrea is joined by Liam Irwin from https://thehotboxsauna.ie/ to learn about the benefits of the sauna!

Plans for a crackdown on motorists who have held provisional licences for years, and sometimes decades, have been delayed over fears of a knock-on effect on waiting lists for driving tests.

A briefing from the Department of Transport said any dramatic change on how many learner permits a person could hold would lead to “a surge of applications” for driving tests on an ‘already overburdened testing system”.

Figures from the Road Safety ­Authority show more than 67,000 drivers are on their third learner permit or later.

Is this the right approach by the Department?

To discuss, Andrea is joined by Brenda Bolger from the Bolger School of Motoring, as well as listeners.

Dr Nina Byrnes, GP at Generation Health Medical Clinic joined Andrea to tackle your medical queries…