The Northern Ireland Assembly is in crisis after scandal-hit First Minister Peter Robinson temporarily stepped down from the post to clear his name.
But while his Democratic Unionist Party surprised politicians with the shock decision to install enterprise minister Arlene Foster in the top job, the move does not defuse the continuing stand-off with Sinn Fein.
After a string of revelations around the sex life and financial dealings of Mr Robinson's wife Iris, he sought breathing space to deal with the fall-out and said he would step aside for up to six weeks.
But after the DUP moved to calm nerves in their ranks, Sinn Fein said the party must now focus on agreeing a deal on the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster.
A dramatic day at Stormont began early on Monday with rumours that Mr Robinson was to be forced from office after a TV documentary claimed he failed to report his wife to Parliamentary authorities for obtaining loans for her teenage lover to run a Belfast cafe.
But just an hour after DUP colleagues at Stormont emerged from private talks to declare they were offering their support to Mr Robinson, the party announced the First Minister was to temporarily step down.
"As a father and a husband, I need to devote time to deal with family matters," he said.
He added: "I continue to contend I have acted ethically and it is particularly painful at this time of great personal trauma that I have to defend myself from an unfounded and mischievous allegation."
He said he had asked for a Parliamentary and Assembly inquiry to be carried out into TV documentary claims linking him to events where his wife secured £50,000 from two wealthy developers to help her 19-year-old lover Kirk McCambley set up the restaurant business.
Repeating his claims of innocence, he added that he would now focus on helping his family, but would also continue his political work as DUP leader. Throughout this period I will continue to work on the outstanding issues relating to policing and justice and some other matters," he said.
