Lunchtime Live

Irish teenagers are the best performers in reading literacy in the EU, but has there been a drop in reading books? 

Andrea chats to Newstalk's Tech Correspondent Jess Kelly, author Sheila Flanagan and Sinéad Cuddihy from Tired Mammy Book Club.

Photo by Vincenzo Malagoli

Is it normal to feel downhearted when you find out your baby’s gender? Andrea chats to parents who have experienced gender disappointment

Photo by Lazaro Rodriguez Jr

Last week on Lunchtime Live, Adrian Kennedy spoke to the owner of Ballykilcavan Brewery in Stradbally about his desire to have his craft beers sold in Electric Picnic.

Well the promoter Melvin Benn has responded, and says the reason it’s not being sold at the festival, is because he simply doesn’t like craft beer.

Andrea is by David Walsh-Kemmis, owner of Ballykilcavan Brewery in Stradbally, 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…

Image: Universal Pictures

Should unhealthy food be in plain packaging like cigarettes? 

Professor Donal O’Shea spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning and certainly believes so. Would this work?

Andrea is joined by listeners, as well as Lorraine Carter from Persona Branding & Design to discuss.

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 the Newsroom’s Ellen Butler and Dave Hanratty, the Host of the No Encore Music Podcast, to review 'Dangerous Memories'

Image: Tortoise Investigates

Andrea caught up with our reporter Laura Donnelly who in down in Stradbally ahead of Electric Picnic this weekend. Andrea also chatted to Kellie Anne Byrne – DJ & Radio Presenter - about which acts to look out for at EP.  

Retailer Brown Thomas have defended their decision to charge 60 cent for paper bags in their stores.  The charge, introduced last week, applies to the instantly recognisable Brown Thomas grey and white bags and Arnott's blue branded carriers and applies irrespective of the size of the bag a customer is given.  They say that all profits from the sale of paper carrier bags will be used to support Crann – Trees for Ireland with the aim of planting 100,000 trees in Ireland over the next 10 years.  

What do you think about being charged for using a paper bag?  

People carrying a Brown Thomas bag in Dublin city centre | Image: RollingNews.ie

This year, Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become that bit healthier! 

Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well.

This week she was joined by High Performance Coach Gerry Hussey.

Efforts to get people living in rural areas to buy Electric cars are failing. The Government target of having one million EVs on the road by 2030 now feels less likely. So what would get you to buy an EV? Andrea chats to Tom Spencer, editor of IrishEVs . com and hears from listeners