The Sinn Fein Education Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness, declined to comment last night on being described as a "murderer and a terrorist" by the former Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam.
Dr Mowlam made the remark to regional newspaper journalists during a speech at London's Hilton hotel on Tuesday.
Recalling a recent telephone conversation she had had with Mr McGuinness concerning integrated education, Dr Mowlam said: "Bugger me, I thought, this a murderer and terrorist talking about spending more on integrated education."
Mr McGuinness's reaction was to refer journalists to the clarification issued by Dr Mowlam's aides in yesterday's Guardian newspaper.
Dr Mowlam was using a "short hand" and was trying to reflect the opinions held by some people, rather than expressing her own views, her aides said. She was not trying to cause offence or controversy when she made the remark. Dr Mowlam said she intended to raise funds in the US for the North's integrated schools following her departure from Westminster at the next election.
Dr Mowlam had previously angered republicans when, in her capacity as Northern secretary, she had sanctioned the bugging of a car used by Mr McGuinness and Mr Gerry Adams in December 1999.