Lunchtime Live

Frontline Gardaí are to withdraw services and refuse to work overtime on key dates including Halloween and Budget Day as part of the worsening roster row.  

Both of these days require significant garda resources, largely reliant on overtime, to ensure there are sufficient numbers to police Dublin. 

The drastic measures mean the approximate 11,000 members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) will effectively refuse to acknowledge the pre-pandemic roster that Commissioner Harris intends to revert to.   

Andrea was joined by Tara McManus, Assistant General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association and listeners to discuss...

Irish boat dwellers are set to be hit with huge fee hikes which they say will tear communities apart. 

Barry and Emma, who live on a boat joined Andrea to discuss...

Nearly a fifth of children say it’s hard to stop playing video games. They’ve also said they stay up late gaming and aren’t getting enough sleep. Children have also said they get headaches and sore eyes and ears. 

The figures come from Barnardos, who surveryed children from third to sixth class. Are we taking online gaming seriously enough? 

Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

The Sunday World joined the Irish landscape in 1973. It was pitched as being ‘irreverent, campaigning, questioning and fun’. 50 years on, Andrea Gilligan was joined by Nicola Tallant, Investigations Editor and Daragh Keany, Features Editor to look back at the impact the paper has made... 

Singer RuthAnne posted a video on social media which has struck a chord with many women. She spoke about suffering a pain flare up due to endometriosis. 

Andrea was joined by RuthAnne and listener Ali to discuss...

Image: X via @thisisruthanne

Suella Braverman, the UK Home Secretary, has called for a new international approach to granting asylum and changes to the 1951 refugee convention.    

She described uncontrolled and illegal migration is an "existential challenge for the political and cultural institutions of the West",  

Adding "uncontrolled immigration, inadequate integration, and a misguided dogma of multiculturalism have proven a toxic combination for Europe over the last few decades.

Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss the impact of multiculturalism in Irish society...

Sally, a listener, emailed into the show about an experience of casual racism she had over the weekend.

Sally joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to tell her what happened...

The greatest baking competition on the planet returns this evening. The Great British Bake Off returns to screens on Channel 4 this evening, but what makes The Great British Bake Off so appealing?

Andrea was joined by Paul Kelly, Pastry Chef: Merrion Hotel and Former Judge on The Great Irish Bake Off, Graham Herterich, The Cupcake Bloke and author of ‘Bake,  Imelda McCarron, who was on the show in 2018 and Sarina Bellisimo, Entertainment Journalist to discuss…

Andrea Gilligan was joined on Lunchtime Live by Newstalk reporter Aoife Kearns to chat about an experience she had in which someone commented on her height and size. 

Broadcaster and author, Barbara Scully and journalist Yvonne Redmond also joined Andrea on the show…

The Federation of Early Childhood Providers are currently gathered outside Leinster House in protest against what they say are low fees paid to them by the Government.  

Andrea was joined by childcare providers Hazel, Fiona and Averil to discuss...