Hi °C | Lo °C By the end of this week, if all goes smoothly at Stormont, Peter Robinson will have two separate in-trays — as First Minister and DUP leader.
And at times, they might just conflict with each other.
As First Minister, the top priority is presiding over a stable and effective Executive.
If the first year of devolution was about sealing the deal, the task now is to make Stormont meaningful to the lives of voters.
That, in short, is about delivering good government.
For Mr Robinson, this will have to involve forging a durable working relationship with Martin McGuinness.
That will include resolving some of the sticking points and policy logjams that have been developing.
Of course, getting on too famously with the Deputy First Minister would not play well with the DUP rank and file.
There will be no revival of the Paisley-McGuinness Chuckle Brothers routine.
Achieving an agreed way forward on controversial policy issues could also antagonise DUP supporters.
The weekend suggestion from Sinn Fein quarters that they may refuse to re-nominate Mr McGuinness on Thursday — and so block the Robinson accession — is being dismissed as an idle threat in some quarters.
But the fact that they went semi-public with the idea gives an indication that republicans are feeling frustrated with life at Stormont.
It will be interesting to see how far the new First Minister will want to go to ease these tensions.
Progress towards the devolution of policing and justice powers is obviously one of the key hurdles ahead.
There are also the small matters of reaching a consensus on replacing the 11 plus, and finalising a water charges blueprint that will not infuriate already hard-pressed householders.
Sinn Fein remains determined to secure an Irish Language Act, but there are no indications that the DUP is going to yield on that one.
Similarly, it looks certain that the Maze stadium proposal is going to be binned — an outcome in keeping with the wishes of most of Mr Robinson's backbenchers.
The incoming First Minister is a highly skilled strategist and party manager.
He will be well aware of the need to keep his MLAs on side.
But the task of maintaining stability at Stormont may just require Mr Robinson to stretch his party on occasions.
Lurking in the background is next year's European election and the challenge posed by Traditional Unionist Voice MEP Jim Allister.
Few people expect Mr Allister to retain the seat he won in DUP colours in 2005.
But a sizeable vote — say 60,000-70,000 — would create worries for Mr Robinson over the next Assembly poll.
The DUP will want to find a senior figure to run next year. As MEPs cannot hold seats elsewhere, that is likely to mean losing a fairly big name from the Assembly team.
One of the more pressing items in Mr Robinson's in-tray will be rejigging his party's Ministerial line-up. It is being generally assumed that Nigel Dodds will replace his new party leader in the Department of Finance. However, there has also been some talk that Mr Dodds could be the man to take on Jim Allister next year.
Arlene Foster may move over from Environment to Enterprise, while there has been speculation about Edwin Poots' position as Culture Minister.
The gossip in some DUP circles is that Mr Poots is facing the axe, but that is not the universal view. He is also a possible European candidate.
Foyle MLA Gregory Campbell is regarded as the most likely new DUP Minister, while there may also be an enhanced role for someone like William McCrea from the party's old guard.
Sammy Wilson and some of the new generation MLAs like Simon Hamilton are also being tipped for promotion.
The reshuffle will involve getting the balance right inside the party.
It won't be the last balancing trick for the new DUP leader and First Minister.
Paisley probes continue, Page 16
