Highlights From Lunchtime Live

Robyn, a listener go in touch with the show about the waiting times to sit your driving test. Robyn and Brenda Bolger owner of Bolger school of motoring in Kilkenny joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

Last week on Lunchtime Live, Andrea spoke to listeners about bullying in the workplace. Kate, a listener sent an email into the show about bullying she experienced while she was working as a nurse. Kate joined Andrea on the show to discuss...

Recommendations were made last week about how people shouldn’t go to A&E unless it was absolutely necessary. Today, GPs are under so much pressure that people around the country can’t get an appointment. What is going wrong with the healthcare system at the moment and what needs to happen for something to change? Andrea was joined by GPs and listeners on the show to discuss...

Litter strewn streets, dumped dirty nappies – results of the Irish Business Against Litter survey released this morning show that Mahon in Cork city is the dirtiest part of Ireland, while Naas in Kildare has retained it's title of the cleanest town in Ireland. What needs to be done about litter and dumping? Andrea was joined by Fine Gael Councillor in Cork City Centre, Deirdre Forde, Vourneen Hennessy from Naas Tidy Towns and other listeners to discuss...

This week marks one year since the killing of Ashling Murphy – since then 11 women have been killed across the country. Do women feel safe in Ireland? Andrea was joined by Newstalk reporter Mairead Cleary and other women to discuss how safe they feel in Ireland nowadays…

With the hospitals in the state they’re in, have people any other options? Dermot Goode from Total Health Cover, part of the Lockton Group joined Andrea to answer some listener questions...

Light pollution can be hindrance if it’s something that affects where you live. Recently, there have an increase in the use of strong LED lighting on billboards and petrol stations. Andrea was joined by listeners Eddie, Diana and Niall Hatch from Birdwatch Ireland to discuss... Image: An LED billboard in Rathmines. Picture by: Rory O'Farrell.

The Sun is reporting today that Irish singer Una Healy is part of a ‘throuple’ with ex-heavyweight boxing champion David Haye and model Sian Osborne. The newspaper also says that the trio have told family and friends of their arrangement Andrea was joined by Dr Kate Devlin to discuss polyamory…

New bike lanes for Dublin city will remove bus lanes and car parking in some busy parts of the city. Bus lanes in Ranelagh and car parking at Merrion Square will go for the new Dublin City Council “active travel” plans. One of the routes goes from Clonskeagh to the city centre route, through Milltown and Ranelagh Village. The other goes from Trinity College to Ballsbridge, through Nassau Street. There are concerns from commuters that this could cause chaos. While others say it’s a much needed update. Andrea was joined by listeners on the show to discuss...

The Workplace Bullying Institute has found that up to 80% of women that are bullied in the workplace are bullied by other women. Other recent studies have shown that women who report to women experience a greater frequency of bullying, so much so that a new term, 'Queen Bee Syndrome', has been coined. Have you experienced workplace bullying? Andrea was joined by Terry Prone, Chairman of The Communications Clinic and other listeners to discuss...

Anti-refugee protests at a Dublin school started a few days ago over their housing of refugees over the Christmas break. Two groups of up to 30 refugees were temporarily placed in the hall of the school by the Department of Children during the Christmas break. Misinformation began circulating on social media claiming bus loads of men were being shipped into the area. Everyone had left the school by Tuesday evening and children weren’t due back until today. But protestors showed up regardless. Andrea was joined by local People Before Profit Councillor Hazel De Nortúin and Edel, who lives locally to discuss… Image: Google Maps

Bags of excrement were reportedly thrown Minister Anne Rabbitte and Fine Gael TD Ciaran Cannon yesterday at a meeting in Galway. Is politics becoming scarier for public representatives? Andrea was joined by Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny, Vivienne Phelan, Director of Women’s Engagement and Future Candidate Development of Young Fine Gael, Nelius Cotter, Membership and Recruitment Director with Fianna Fail Ógra and other listeners to discuss... Image: Mark Marlow/Rollingnews

Cork County Council are calling for it to be compulsory for dog owners to have to insure their dogs, in the case of a dog attacking other animals or people. Would you support this decision? Andrea was joined by listeners around the country to discuss dog insurance and GPS tracking on dogs...

With the New Year upon us, people will be looking to reinvent themselves and grab every opportunity with both hands. Is there a way to predict what lies ahead and can your star sign help you do that? Do you read your star sign regularly? Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Margaret Grey, psychological astrologist to discuss what your star sign means for you...

The latest INMO trolley watch count recorded 838 people waiting without a bed in hospitals today. Andrea was joined by Martina Hennessy, consultant physician in St. James Hospital and listeners to discuss...

Are weight loss a help or a hindrance when you’re struggling with weight? Saoirse Hanley wrote in the Irish Independent today how she feels that joining one was the worst thing she ever did for her health. Saoirse Hanley and other listeners joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

Parking at the New Children’s Hospital will apparently cost €10 a day. The cost will be graded according to how long parents have to park there, but the daily fee will still be €10. Is this a fair cost to impose on families? Should parking be subsidised? Or even free? Andrea was joined by parents affected by parking costs at hospitals in the past to discuss…

Leinster rugby issued an apology immediately after the controversial Wolfe Tones song 'Celtic Symphony', which features the lyrics 'Ooh Ah, Up the Ra' was played over the tannoy at the RDS after their win over Connacht on Sunday. Brian Warfield from The Wolfe Tones has suggested apologising for singing 'Celtic Symphony' is trying to 'erase the IRA from everywhere.' Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss…

Chef Edward Hayden joined Andrea to give some of his tips and tricks to make Christmas in the kitchen as stress free as possible...

Christmas Day can be a lonely time for some people who aren't spending it with others. Would having an outlet like the local pub help those to meet with others so that they too can enjoy the spirit of Christmas? Or would people abuse it and spend the day drinking? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...