ARLENE Foster looks set to remain in the Stormont first minister's role until the end of next week.
It is understood the former DUP leader will relinquish the post she has held since January 2016 after next week's British-Irish Council meeting in Co Fermanagh.
The Friday June 11 meeting is the first non-virtual leaders' gathering since the beginning of the pandemic and has been earmarked as Mrs Foster's last official engagement as first minister.
New DUP leader Edwin Poots is expected to allow his predecessor to remain in post for another eight days as a gesture of good-will in a bid to counter bad publicity surrounding the manner of Mrs Foster's ousting as leader last month.
Mr Poots has delayed naming his new executive team, an announcement that is expected to trigger Mrs Foster's resignation as first minister.
Despite an expectation that he would announce his new ministers on Monday, Mr Poots said he would make the appointments "when ready".
According to a DUP source, the delay is most likely designed to accommodate Mrs Foster's desire to attend the British-Irish Council meeting in her home county.
"While there's been no discussions about it, there's a tacit acceptance that Edwin will let Arlene have her final curtain call on home ground," the source said.
"He doesn't want to be seen as forcing her out because that has already played out quite badly."
There was no comment from the DUP last night.
The Irish News revealed last week that North Antrim MLA Mervyn Storey had declined Mr Poots offer for him to become first minister.
Meanwhile, Mr Poots yesterday said there was a need for a "step-change" in the speed with which Stormont delivered legislation.
Speaking ahead of today's party leaders' forum, he said "too much time was lost at the start of this assembly term when no decisions could be made".
"Whether on issues such as climate change, licencing laws or protection from stalking these are all major areas which can deliver real benefits for our citizens," he said.
Separately, he said he planned to name the party's new ministers in the "not-too-distant future".
The new DUP leader's remarks came as his Ulster Unionist and Alliance counterparts warned of potential political instability sparked by the appointment of a new first minister.
UUP leader Doug Beattie said "dithering" would lead to more "factious cracks" in the executive, while Justice Minister Naomi Long said instability within the DUP could impact on the political institutions.
"There are the opportunities first of all to see instability within the DUP itself reflected in instability in the institutions," the Alliance leader told the BBC.
"We still haven't had a new first minister appointed - that's another opportunity for instability and I think all of us are just now awaiting what's going to happen on that front."
