Sinn Féin's John O'Dowd made NI infrastructure minister

Sinn Féin's John O'Dowd has been installed as Northern Ireland's new infrastructure minister.

He signed the pledge of office at Stormont on Monday.

He replaces the Social Democratic and Labour Party's (SDLP) Nichola Mallon, who lost her seat in the assembly election.

Her party leader Colum Eastwood said they would not nominate a replacement as they no longer had a "mandate for government".

Sinn Féin was the next party entitled to nominate for the role, under existing Stormont rules.

However Mr O'Dowd will be operating in a caretaker capacity due to the absence of a functioning executive.

Like other ministers who remain in place without a first and deputy first minister, his decision-making powers are limited.

Any significant, controversial or cross-cutting issues require the approval of the full executive.

Mr O'Dowd is expected to meet with civil servants within the department on Monday.

The Upper Bann assembly member was the education minister between 2011 and 2016.