The Fine Gael leader has ruled out forming a coalition government with Sinn Fein, saying the party is not yet fully democratic.
In an interview with the Irish News, Mr Noonan said: "My problem is not with particular policy they have on the North. My problem is that they are not fully democratic yet. They have a military wing, we don't."
Cllr Sean Crowe, of Sinn Fein, described Mr Noonan's comments as "ramblings". He rejected the suggestion that Sinn Fein had a "secret army" and said the party had always consulted widely, both internally and externally.
