It’s been an eventful week geopolitically with Donald Trump and Nicolás Maduro making most of the headlines.

But quietly beavering away in the background was Micheál Martin as he pressed the flesh in Beijing.

The trip came off the back of an internal study by the Department of Foreign Affairs into the Government’s diplomatic soft power and included a notable non-answer to a question on the events in Venezuela from the Taoiseach.

So just how much is achieved by these visits? To what degree is the off camera dialogue reflected by the on the record rhetoric?

And does Ireland’s soft power pack much of a punch internationally?

Today on the podcast, Shane Beatty speaks with former Irish Ambassador to France, Rory Montgomery about diplomacy, soft power and what really goes on behind the scenes on these state visits.

A long-running European trade deal is heading for a crunch moment, and it’s sparked one of the loudest rows in Irish politics in years.

As EU ambassadors prepare to move on the EU–Mercosur agreement, farmers are warning it could flood the market with cheaper meat – especially beef and poultry from Brazil – and undermine rural livelihoods. A major protest is planned in Athlone this weekend, with farming groups urging the government to stand firm.

But Irish business sees a very different picture, arguing the deal could open doors for exporters and protect Ireland’s place in a volatile global economy.

Today on the podcast, Shane Beatty hears both sides of the argument. First, Agriland editor Stella Meehan explains why farmers are so deeply opposed. Then, Chambers Ireland CEO Ian Talbot makes the case for why business wants the deal done.

And along the way, we ask a question many listeners are quietly thinking about: could more competition actually help hard-pressed shoppers?

A trade deal, a political headache — and a country divided.

William Shakespeare is back in the cultural spotlight with the release of the film Hamnet, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. But while the film renews interest in the playwright’s life and legacy, it also raises an awkward question closer to home: why does Shakespeare still hold such a dominant, compulsory place in Irish schools?

English teacher Conor Murphy joins Shane Beatty on the podcast to argue that while Shakespeare’s brilliance is not in doubt, his privileged position in the curriculum is. Conor suggests that making Shakespeare mandatory crowds out other voices — including Irish writers and dramatists — and reinforces the idea that English literature has a fixed centre with the Bard permanently at its core.

They discuss whether students are engaging meaningfully with Shakespeare or simply learning how to “pass” him for exams, whether plays are being taught in the wrong way, and how much space is left for writers like James Joyce, John McGahern, Marina Carr, or Doireann Ní Ghríofa. With curriculum reform on the horizon, the conversation asks whether it’s finally time to rebalance what — and who — we value in Irish classrooms.

Hamnet opens in Irish cinemas this Friday. If you go to see the film, we’d love to hear your reviews! Send us an email to newstalkdaily@newstalk.com.