Stormont’s departments no longer have ministers, not even in a caretaker capacity.
The ministers who were in post when the assembly collapsed with the resignation of Paul Givan as first minister remained in their departments.
After May’s election, they returned for the duration of the 24 weeks given to parties to reform the Northern Ireland Executive.
That time has now passed and the day-to-day running of Stormont’s departments will pass to civil servants.
However during that period. without a first and deputy first minister, ministers could not make decisions which were seen to be cross-cutting, or needing the support of the executive as a whole.