There's war in the alternative medicine camp. On Wednesday, Consumers for Health Choice launched a campaign to have St John's Wort removed from the Government's new list of prescription medicines. Labour's Liz McManus TD, a vocal supporter, was asked, and agreed, to join the platform along with Green MEP Nuala Ahern and Mick Lally from Glenroe. That morning she was told she wasn't wanted after all. There wouldn't be time. She insisted. No they said, don't come. After much apology and great fudging, McManus was told that she couldn't speak because Ahern's PR agency was paying for the launch.
McManus is furious. "I was airbrushed out. They are acting like pharmacy companies in preventing someone supporting them. Money is power at the end of the day. Where are the ethics? They are letting one party take over the issue." She had a bad experience with the Greens before, she adds, when they agreed, with others, to pay part of the costs for the Adi Roche Presidential campaign. "But they ran away from it and wouldn't accept responsibility. It is arrogance to the extent of tyranny and goes beyond normal political practice."
Ahern says she is astonished at McManus's claim. "As far as I am concerned everyone was welcome. Deirdre Clune of Fine Gael was there. I do not have a PR agency. My former parliamentary assistant organised it and I paid for the flowers and the hotel room, as a contribution."