Highlights From Lunchtime Live

From getting the perfect balance between house plants and jungle in your room, to how to keep them alive – the Home Squad are here to help make houseplants work for you!Pat Keville from PlantStore.ie and Emma Delaney, Senior Interior Designer from April & the Bear join Andrea to discuss.

Actor Mark Ruffalo hit out at the Irish Green Party this week, weighing in on Irish politics. The actor claimed that the party is ‘about to do something really terrible to the environment’ by accommodating fracking.The Green Party have said it’s a ‘very misleading account’ of what is included in new legislation about liquified natural gas (LNG).How bizarre is something like this, from someone like him?Andrea is joined by Kendra Becker, Editor of Goss.ie and Aimmé Millar, Senior Public Affairs with Carr Communications to discuss.

Hurricane Milton has done incredible damage to Florida overnight, so what is it like on the ground for those living there?Andrea is joined by listeners in Florida to discuss.

A love of reading is something all parents want to instil in their children, but a new survey from BookTrust shows a drop off in reading once children progress to secondary school.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Mary McCarthy, Columnist with the Irish Independent, Darina Molloy, Senior Executive Librarian based in Castlebar and Sarah Webb, Children's Author.

From the Chilean miners to John Denver, Ciaran O’Connor from 98fm joins Andrea Gilligan to rewind the clock!

Dublin City Council have launched their new plan to breathe life back into the city's night time economy. The new Dublin City Night-time Economy Strategy aims "to create a dynamic, inclusive, and vibrant nightlife" for both citizens and tourists.What, do you think, would revitalise Dublin’s nightlife?Ray O'Donoghue was appointed Dublin's Night Mayor back in April, and joins Andrea and more to discuss these plans.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea Gilligan is joined by Joey Donnelly, owner of Crofton Motors in Dublin, to answer any of your car-adjacent questions!

7-foot-tall Andrew Day talked in the Telegraph about how being so tall can lead to some pretty big disadvantages.Everything from hobbies and holidays to clothes and shoes ends up costing him a fortune because of his height.Are you on the taller side? What disadvantages do you face because of your height?Andrea is joined by listeners, including Ireland’s tallest man, Shaun Aisbitt, to discuss.

(Some details of this story could be distressing for listeners.)Donegal woman Danielle McLaughlin was backpacking in India when she was murdered.That was in 2017, and although someone was arrested at the time, there has still been no trial.Her family have been waiting for justice for seven years, and her mum Andrea Brannigan joins Andrea Gilligan to discuss.

Travelling solo can be an incredible adventure, but is it worth the cost? From higher accommodation prices to missing out on group discounts, solo travellers often pay a premium.Andrea is joined by frequent solo traveller, Pippa Meehan, Ariana Dunne, Host of the Solo Powered Podcast, Rory from Rory’s Travel Club and more 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.Rebecca Shekleton, Presenter of 98fm’s Big Breakfast joined Andrea this week to share all the things to make you smile!

Earlier on Newstalk Breakfast, Dr Richard Hogan, Family Psychotherapist, said that you have to be careful that children understand the value of the money they are getting...When it comes to pocket money, are children losing the value of money?  Andrea is joined by listeners, including Siobhan O’Neill white from Mams.ie, to discuss.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every Tuesday so you always have something new to listen to.Sarah-Jayne Tobin, Editor of rollercoaster.ie and Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill joined Andrea to review ‘Broomgate: A Curling Scandal’!Image: CBC

Up to 65mm of rain fell in Bantry in Cork over the course of just 12 hours at the weekend.Bantry is a high risk area, having flooded four times in 18 months between 2018 and 2020. A flood relief scheme is currently in planning, but is it coming soon enough?Andrea is joined by Susan Shepherd of Philip Dix Jewellers, Eddie Wiseman from Wiseman's Clothing Shop to discuss the damage.

Tipping culture is annoying, unfair and worst of all, American. And it is starting to creep into Europe…That is according to Columnist for the Guardian Europe, Alexander Hurst.What do you think about tipping culture creeping into Ireland? Andrea is joined by listeners, including Brenda Hyland Beirne from the Irish school of Etiquette, to discuss.

Cancer is something that will touch everyone’s lives, either through your own personal experience or that of a loved one.But, are there things we can do to prevent it? And if so, how achievable are they?Breast Cancer Surgeon and survivor Liz O’Dwyer joins Andrea to discuss.

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 David Baker, who took up a musical instrument later in life…

Is religion a barrier to getting a job as a primary school teacher?In interviews for teaching jobs at many primary schools, a certificate in Religious Studies is a requirement for teaching religion.However, some say that this means many new teachers are having to uphold something they don’t believe in…Should teachers have to have this certificate?To discuss, Andrea is joined by Peter Melrose, Primary Teacher and Soc Dem Cllr, Aoife Cassidy, Parent Representative and qualified Solicitor, Jennifer Horgan, Teacher and Irish Examiner columnist and Simon Lewis, Principal and host of the ‘If I was Minister for Education’ podcast.

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

After seeing the consequence of fast fashion during a trip to Africa, Mary Fleming was inspired to try and make a difference here in Ireland. She established Change Clothes.Mary joins Andrea to discuss more.Image: @changeclothesdublin