FORMER DUP leader Arlene Foster has criticised RTÉ for referring to Northern Ireland as "the north".
In a post on Twitter, the ex-first minister hit out at the broadcaster for not using "our properly constituted name".
Dame Arlene shared an RTÉ News Twitter post about the increase in the barn owl population after decades of decline.
I see after 101 years @rtenews still can’t call us by our properly constituted name #NorthernIreland #ProudofNI https://t.co/gVLTIHAQao
— Arlene Foster DBE PC #ProudofNI. (@ArleneFosterUK) July 19, 2022
In the information attached to the report, RTÉ stated that "efforts are being made in the north to increase the barn owl population after decades of decline".
"Four barn owls were ringed in Co Antrim last night following efforts to encourage the owls back to the area by putting up nesting boxes and by doing supplementary feeding."
But Dame Arlene, who now works for GB News, criticised the broadcaster for its use of the term, "the north".
"I see after 101 years @rtenews still can’t call us by our properly constituted name #NorthernIreland #ProudofNI"," she wrote.
However, the story the RTE tweet was referring to was headlined "Efforts under way to boost NI barn owl population" and the top line of the story read: "Efforts are being made in Northern Ireland to increase the barn owl population after decades of decline."
Her post was greeted by hundreds of responses from Twitter users, with many commenting that "no-one makes you watch RTÉ".
Other users said that "a rudimentary search of their Twitter feed would tell you that RTÉ frequently refer to Northern Ireland", while another said that "RTÉ use the term Northern Ireland consistently on live television broadcasts".
RTÉ has not responded to a request for comment.
Read more:Barn owl brood born in Co Antrim
