Highlights From Lunchtime Live

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to. This Weeks its Icons by Goal. Newstalk’s Tom Douglas & Editor of DMG Media Sarah Jayne Tobin

According to Irish Businesses Against Litter Coffee cups are the most commonly found litter. Their survey found that coffee cups were found in one fifth of the sites they looked at.So is it time an extra charge is applied to them a even a outright ban on them ?Joining Andrea was Dave O'Reilly, Greystones Tidy Towns Chairman. Baker & Owner for Bread 41 in Dublin Eoin Cluskey, Finbar Filan, Chair of Sligo Tidy Towns, Donna Cooney, Green Party Councillor for Clontarf and John Lynch, Sustainability consultant down with Down2earth materials

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Sports Broadcaster and Journalist Cathal Mullaney joined Andrea to answer any of your questions

Getting married this year and hoping to be a bit more sustainable?   Bronwyn from Ballintubbert House in Laois joined Andrea to offer advice as well as Jessica O’Sullivan – Freelance Writer.

Following Christmas and the New Year celebrations, your personal finances might have taken a bit of a hit.So  If you’re hoping to be better with money this year John Lowe- The Money Doctor joined Andrea to offer us  a few tips to help budget right in 2026.

After a fire broke out in a home in Finglas on Wednesday. One man jumped into action to save the young children trapped in the burning home.  Joining Andrea was Emmanuel Bello, who, along with neighbours, helped 5 people escape the burning house.

Footpaths across Ireland are posing a serious risk to public safety and placing a growing strain on the national economy. Many people can attest to just how dangerous poorly maintained footpaths can be, with trips and falls now a common occurrence in towns and cities nationwide.In Dublin alone, unsafe footpaths have resulted in €18 million in injury compensation payouts over the past three years.What measures need to be taken to improve our paths and reduce preventable injuries?Joining Andrea were the Independent Councilor for Dublin, Mannix Flynn, as well as listeners who have firsthand experience of poor footpaths.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

As we frantically get our last bits of Christmas shopping done, how much of that will be done in a family-owned business? Unfortunately, not many of them have survived the past couple of decades…One that has is the iconic Kennys Bookshop in Galway which celebrated its 85th birthday last month.So amid all the changes, especially in how we read, how have they survived?Tomas Kenny joins Seán to discuss.Image: @kennysbookshop on Instagram

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Travel Journalist Eoghan Corry to talk about last minute travel around this time of year, and the deals you can avail of!

Christmas is a busy enough time for many, so why add extra stress?Denise O’Donoghue from the Irish Examiner joins Andrea with hacks to make your life easier around this period!

Trains across the country operate later than usual during the Christmas period, with the service being in big demand. Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has said that he is in talks with Iarnród Éireann about expanding late night rail services beyond the Christmas and New Year festive period…So, would you like to see trains run later into the night?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Why do we eat turkey and ham at Christmas, and what is behind some of the other common goodies we have?Food Writer Dee Laffan and TV Chef & Lecturer from South East Technological University Edward Hayden join Andrea to discuss the history of Christmas dinner!

How do you dodge the family feuds at Christmas? Sometimes, when you’re all bunched up for that amount of time, it can feel inevitable…There’s no need to worry! Andrea is joined by Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin and author of ‘The Science of Happiness’ Brendan Kelly to discuss how you can survive around this time of year!

Nearly 2 million people are travelling through Dublin Airport over Christmas.Henry McKean is live from Dublin Airport in Terminal 2, and joins Andrea to share what he’s seeing!

Dr Niall Breen from the Portmarnock GP Clinic joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries.

From banging pots and pans at midnight to sweeping the old year out the door - what are some of the weird and wonderful New Years traditions here in Ireland?Author and content creator of Weird Ireland, Brinsley McNamara, joins Andrea to discuss!

Sarah Ryan’s former partner Nathan Grant McNulty has been jailed for eight years for the rape and coercive control of Sarah.Sarah wanted to share her story, and joins Andrea to discuss…If any of these issues discussed impacted you, you can reach Women’s Aid 24 hours a day on: 1800 341 900.

2025 was another great year for entertainment. We have had celebrities going to space, TikTok trends going to new levels, and one of the world's most famous galleries robbed.As we come to the end of the year, we will be looking back at some of 2025’s most iconic entertainment moments. Are there any that stand out to you?Joining Andrea to discuss it all is Entertainment Journalist Brian Lloyd and Pop Culture and Entertainment Expert, Dee Molumby.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Newstalk’s Ellen Butler and Rory Galvin join Andrea Gilligan to review ‘The Rest is Science’!Image: Goalhanger