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Is it expecting too much to take the stance that people of
influence in Northern Ireland should have no difficulty in
using the name of the country.
The reason for posing this question is that it still seems
to be problem for some people to use the name 'Northern Ireland'
when discussing issues of importance.
One well-known SDLP politician persists in using the term
'The North' when dealing with matters affecting Northern Ireland.
And, of course, Sinn Fein figureheads, including those who
would expect to occupy senior positions if the Assembly does
come back into existence, just cannot seem to feel happy about
using the name of Northern Ireland.
Yet, these could be ministers in charge of key departments,
and they persist in using terms like 'this part of the island',
to describe the country which they seem so keen to share the
responsibility for governing.
And it's not just people from predictable quarters who slip
up, intentionally or unintentionally in not giving the proper
name of the country.
Listening to a radio programme from Belfast recently, I was
amazed to hear a well-educated person compare something in
Northern Ireland to what things are like "across the
water in the United Kingdom."
Not "the rest of the United Kingdom", but the inaccurate
description which seemed to relegate Northern Ireland to a
position outside the United Kingdom.
It goes without saying that it is vital that people in Northern
Ireland who support the Union should, at all times, make it
clear that this place is very much part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Ulster people must never accept a second tier or second class
membership of the United Kingdom, hence the need to stress
at all times Northern Ireland's position within the UK.
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