Greece found few friends in Europe this week and Ireland was a cheerleader for more austerity to be imposed by the Government in Athens. A simple “no” was An Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s response when asked if he would support a write-down of some Greek debt.

Ireland has been there and was previously told it couldn’t write-down some of our debt, so Mr Kenny wasn’t going to do anything but tell the Tsipras Government to follow the Irish example. But Enda Kenny seems to have forgotten the words we were told repeatedly for the past four years – ‘Ireland is not Greece’, and therefore ‘Greece is not Ireland’.

The Tsipras Government got elected on a mandate of no more austerity – and therefore the proposals coming forward from the Troika creditors simply won’t wash with the Greek people, and whatever the outcome of the days ahead in Brussels, a Greek general election could be weeks – or at most months – away. And the problem then is no matter who gets elected – even if it is a return to power of the current Government in Athens – the saga will probably start all over again.

Of course for the Fine Gael-Labour coalition, this is as much about domestic politics as anything else. The Tsipras Government has the support of Sinn Féin and other anti-austerity politicians here. So how could they let such a Government get any sort of victory in Brussels – so near a general election here. Enda Kenny and Joan Burton of course are not alone on this one. Other European Governments (many of them centre-right) are keen not to let a mostly left-wing administration be in any way victorious, especially around austerity.

But despite the suffering of the Irish people for the last seven or eight years, it hasn’t been as bad as it has for many in Greece. And just because it worked in Ireland (at least the Government tells us it did and we are now well into recovery), Ireland is not Greece and Greece is not Ireland.

Banking on the details at the inquiry...

For many the Banking Inquiry has become a bit of a snoozefest. Even at one point this week I had to shake myself at the desk in Leinster House watching it. There is a sense of what is it all for? It’s meant to be to make sure that the same sort of mistakes are never made again.

One of the witnesses this week though revealed some new information that should make the weeks ahead a bit more interesting. William Beausang, an assistant secretary in Merrion Street, revealed his email records show that he received a draft document at 9.11pm on the night of September 29, 2008 that was “intended to be a draft Government press release announcing the introduction of a guarantee”.

Why is this important? Well because from what we have heard so far from the bankers and the officials that were in the room that night, the real discussions on a guarantee didn’t get underway until at least 9:30pm, and even later, around 11:30pm. And it was into the early hours of the next morning before the Taoiseach and Finance Minister declared they were going down the road of a guarantee, but clearly a decision had been made several hours previously.

All of this should make for an interesting time when former Taoiseach Brian Cowen begins his evidence to the Banking Inquiry next week.

It’s all happening In Cork...

Cork has always prided itself as “the real capital” and it is living up to its rebel status. Because not one, but two political controversies have emerged here in the past week.

Sinn Féin has its woes in Cork East. There is an internal row as the result of an internal review by the party, that they are not really talking about, at least not until a 21-day appeal period has expired. It’s all a bit hush hush and the reality is Gerry Adams would be the first one jumping up and down in the Dáil chamber demanding information and details be published if it was any other party.

What we do know is that the inquiry relates to “uncomradely behaviour” against the Cork East TD Sandra McLellan and some form of financial irregularities. It saw one Councillor expelled and another suspended and all McLellan has to say is that it’s time to move on and that she intends to contest the convention for the next election.

But in the wake of Mairia Cahill, Kangaroo Courts and everything else, you would think Sinn Féin would have learned that they need to be a bit more open with the people of Ireland if they want to sit at the Cabinet table and run this country with any other party.

Meanwhile Fianna Fáil seems to be having a few issues in Cork too – this time at the other side of the county. Outgoing Mayor of Cork Alan Coleman had a swipe at Micheál Martin, saying that Mr Martin had taken the party as far as he could as leader. He joins Senator Averil Power in saying that he doesn’t know what Fianna Fáil stands for. He’ll now contest the Cork South West constituency as an Independent.

Health policy isn’t so universal...

Leo Varadkar will take a break from worrying about the health of the nation this weekend when he attends ‘Gay Pride’. But Ireland’s most eligible gay bachelor says he’s attending the event “in a personal capacity”.

The Health Minister has been on a mission in recent weeks to tell us that we still should have Universal health Insurance, but that it will take a lot longer to implement. He also has started to repeat a phrase that we can’t fix the health system “in a big bang” and that he will need to set out a roadmap for reform.

But his constituency and coalition colleague, Tánaiste Joan Burton, isn’t as convinced about Universal Health Insurance.

She’s now raising concerns about the cost of such a proposal to families, reminding people that “this comes out of people’s after tax income and some of the figures being mentioned would concern me”.

Some clear blue water being put between the parties before the election, and health will be one of the areas they differ on.