The Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has condemned comments by the former chairman of the UK Conservative Party, who said he hopes a dissident Republican terror group will shoot the North's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness for attending the banquet at Windsor Castle and toasting Queen Elizabeth II.

The discordant note on President Higgins State visit was struck by Norman Tebbit, who was injured along with his wife in the 1984 Brighton bomb which targeted the Conservative Party conference.

Gerry Adams told The Right Hook here on Newstalk these remarks show that the "issue of the past" needs to be dealt with.

Norman Tebbit (left) made the comments about Mr. McGuinness who attended the banquet yesterday (right)

Meanwhile Mr. McGuinness said the reaction of the former Conservative chairman to his historic visit to the Queen's official residence and private home at Windsor was "not fitting" for someone who holds high political office.

"Norman Tebbit too and his family have been very badly hurt by the conflict" he said.

"I absolutely understand that. Obviously the sentiments that he has expressed, I think, are not fitting for someone in the elected position he has been in for a very long time."

His latest remarks have been described by a senior Sinn Féin official, Danny Morrison, as advocating the assassination of Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister.

But Mr. McGuinness said he would not be drawn into a row over the comments.