The Democratic Unionist Party's deputy leader has denied his party is attempting to disrupt the work of the Northern Ireland Executive by "rotating" its ministers.
Mr Peter Robinson, who yesterday returned to his post as Minister for Regional Development, described as "nonsense" claims by pro-agreement parties that the DUP was doing a disservice to its supporters by threatening to rotate its cabinet posts.
"We are not in the business of disrupting our departments. We are there under the manifesto pledge to protect the Union and stop the agenda being pursued by Mr Trimble," he said.
Mr Robinson said that while the faces would change in the ministerial seats of the DUP's two departments at Regional Development and Social Development, the policies would not.
Noting there had been five different ministers in the past six months covering subjects which now fell under his department, he said it was clear business had not been disrupted.
He also criticised suggestions that ministries occupied by the party would not be able to fight properly for funding from the block grant for the Northern Ireland Executive.
Mr Robinson said neither he nor his colleagues would support any proposal before the Assembly on the allocation of funds to Executive departments which would "discriminate" against their ministries. He did not think such a move was likely in any case.
He denied that the regular change of ministers would affect their leadership and expertise within their departments.
He said while ministers set the policies of their departments, the civil servants who worked for them would remain in place and would enact those policies.
He said the DUP would not participate in, or support, the political structures of the Belfast Agreement by attending cabinet meetings or North-South ministerial council meetings.
The first meeting of the reformed Executive was the main activity of the day for non-DUP ministers.
Sir Reg Empey, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, announced more than 130 jobs as part of an expansion plan for a local telecommunications company.
Sir Reg also welcomed the announcement that the next stage in work on a North-South gas pipeline would begin soon.
The Assembly's Health, Social Services and Public Safety committee announced plans to investigate legislation relating to both children and to the position of children in care.