As Northern Ireland Finance Minister Peter Robinson prepared to reveal his first budget today, there was evidence of the new powersharing administration facing up to the sometimes difficult business of government.
Mr Robinson outlined how he aims to tackle the contentious issues of domestic rates and water charges.
The intention is to have a new system in place by the time bills are due next April.
However, Mr Robinson warned there were no easy answers.
He said that one option was a local income tax system, along the lines of the poll tax, but he doubted this would receive Assembly backing.
The DUP's Jim Wells asked if measures could be introduced to take account of the growing numbers of holiday properties and second homes.
While another DUP member, Sammy Wilson, highlighted the fact that speculators were buying houses and leaving them vacant and he urged extracting revenue from this source.
A 12-week consultation period is now underway on rates and water charges and Mr Robinson hopes to produce proposals in the autumn.
