Adams out in the cold but war of words rages over whether he has swine flu
Wednesday December 02 2009
A WAR of words over a virus raged last night after a talk radio station announced that Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has suspected swine flu.
It began in the late afternoon when Newstalk issued a statement saying: "Gerry Adams cancels live public interview due to suspected swine flu."
It went on to say that illness had forced the Sinn Fein President had cancelled a live public interview today at the National College of Ireland.
Mr Adams was due to speak about leadership to 300 people in the 'Legends in Your Lunchtime' slot with broadcaster Eamon Keane.
However, Mr Adams' people at Sinn Fein were adamant that their president was not suffering from swine flu.
Suffering
"He has had a bad cold or a flu coming on for days and by yesterday afternoon it was clear that he was not going to get into a car and go to Dublin," said a spokesman for Mr Adams.
The spokesman added: "But he does not have swine flu. Gerry Adams has not contracted swine flu and is currently suffering from a dose of the flu," the party said in a statement.
However, when the author of Newstalk's press release was contacted, she was just as adamant that swine flu had been mentioned when Mr Adams' staff told her why he was cancelling the interview.
"Swine flu was definitely mentioned," said the woman from Newstalk.
Irish Independent
