The deal has been thrown into jeopardy, and with it the future of the power-sharing administration, by a bitter row over implementing changes to the welfare system in Northern Ireland, which has left ministers facing a budgetary hole estimated at £600m.
The fall of the already long-delayed proposed legislation, prompted by Sinn Fein and SDLP opposition, leaves the stumbling administration facing a budgetary black hole estimated at around £600 million.
For the first time, estimated budgetary data on the amount PCTs spend on maternity and reproductive services were available and incorporated in the analysis.
There were no budgetary ceilings, and cost estimates spiralled from an original £70m to £150m.
In order to undertake this comparison we followed the method outlined by Stuckler et al in their paper on WHO's budgetary allocations and the estimates of the global burden of disease [ 3].
"We know from experience that it is difficult to estimate the budgetary cost of such programs," he said.
The size of the benefit increase is also crucial to estimating the budgetary impact on the state.
