Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill has said she does not get "too hung up" on what she calls Northern Ireland.
Ms O’Neill, who said she uses the term “North of Ireland” but referred to “Northern Ireland” in the Assembly earlier this month, said people should be “a bit relaxed about those things”.
Her comments came ahead of a meeting between Sinn Féin and Conservative MPs in Westminster on Tuesday.
Ms O'Neill, first minister designate of Northern Ireland, was asked why she is meeting the Conservatives.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, it was important to "drive the message home" that "the democratic outcome of the election must be respected, that the British government need to stop pandering to the DUP, that the DUP's voice does not reflect the wider view at home" and "that the approach of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson in terms of unilateral action is not what's wanted".
“The reality is that the protocol is working,” she said. “The reality is the business community at home want to see economic certainty. They want clarity around what’s next.
Ms O’Neill said it was important to “give that different perspective”, before adding: “And actually, I will go even further to say that true perspective actually of what’s happening on the ground.”
Asked if she now uses the term “Northern Ireland”, Ms O’Neill told the programme: “I don’t get too hung up on these things. I mean, I say North of Ireland, others say Northern Ireland.”
Asked if she could refer to it as Northern Ireland, she said: “Yes, and I have done in the past week. And I think it’s important that also if the democratic outcome of the election is respected I would be the First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive.
“So I think we shouldn’t get hung up on those things. It’s the beauty of the Good Friday Agreement – British, Irish or both or neither.”
Reacting to Ms O'Neill saying "Northern Ireland", DUP MP Ian Paisley told The Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster earlier this month: "100 years to call Northern Ireland its proper name. My goodness, let me please lie down and recover from the shock of that." – PA
