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The first minister of Northern Ireland has asked one of his party colleagues to take over his job temporarily.
Peter Robinson's position has come under sustained pressure since it was alleged last week that his wife Iris, DUP MP for Stangford, may have acted illegally.
Arlene Foster, enterprise minister in the power-sharing government at Stormont and MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, has been named as acting first minister.
Last week the BBC reported that Mrs Robinson began a sexual relationship with Kirk McCambley in the summer of 2008, when he was 19 and she was 59.
McCambley, now aged 21, received £50,000 from Mrs Robinson to start a cafe business.
She procured two loans totalling £50,000 from local developers and then passed the money to McCambley.
He claimed she later asked him for £5,000 "for herself" and demanded the entire loan back when the affair ended acrimoniously.
She did not declare the £50,000 in the register of members' interest at Westminster or in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where she also represents Strangford.
Peter Robinson, the DUP leader and MP for Belfast East, faces questions over his role.
He knew about the loans but did not report them to the proper authorities.
He has asked the House of Commons and the Assembly to investigate.
In a statement issued today Mr Robinson said he would stand down as first minister temporarily during this "difficult time".
"Iris is receiving acute psychiatric treatment through the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust," he said.
"As a father and a husband, I need to devote time to deal with family matters.
"To take account of this I have, following a meeting with party colleagues and one with the deputy first minister, asked the minister for enterprise Arlene Foster MLA to carry out the functions of the office of first minister for a short period.
"I appreciate the unanimous support from my Assembly and parliamentary colleagues this morning."
Mr Robinson said he has acted "ethically" and said the allegations against him are "unfounded and mischievous."
"As you know I have requested that an opinion be obtained from senior counsel in relation to the ministerial code and related aspects," he said.
"In addition, the deputy first minister has received advices from the departmental solicitors' office which do not present any complications or difficulties whatsoever.
"I have asked for a parliamentary and Assembly inquiry to be undertaken into these matters.
"Throughout this period I will continue to work on the outstanding issues relating to policing and justice and some other matters."
Ms Foster, 39, is the first woman to lead a Northern Ireland government.
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