The Deputy First Minister said he finds ironic the attempt to present former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher as someone who wanted to resolve the prison dispute."In 1981 we were dealing with a ruthless, hypocritical enemy, personified by Margaret Thatcher. I find it quite ironic that in their desire to get at Sinn Féin our opponents are attempting to portray Thatcher as someone who was anxious to resolve the hunger strike. Nothing could be further from the truth," he said.

The controversy over the hunger strike began when former blanketman Richard O'Rawe claimed in a book that a deal which would have ended the hunger strike was accepted by the prisoners but rejected by the IRA leadership outside the prison. Sinn Féin have continually denied that any such deal was made.

Earlier this year, the relatives of the Derry hunger strikers Patsy O'Hara and Michael Devine called for an independent inquiry to be held into the events of the hunger strike.