Belfast Briefing/Francess McDonnell:It is time to celebrate the fact it has never been easier to leave Northern Ireland or buy a flat-pack bed - proof if you need it that the peace dividend is starting to pay off.

Today, for the very first time, you can hop on board an Aer Lingus flight from Belfast International Airport and fly direct to Geneva.

Five years ago, when the Northern Ireland Assembly was suspended for a fourth time, there was only one direct scheduled international flight to Belfast. Now you can fly direct to the North from more than 30 international destinations including our local politicians' favourite at the moment - the United States.

In the not so recent past the likes of Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness would have had to travel via London or Dublin to the US. But thanks to the peace dividend the First and Deputy First Minister were able to take the direct route last week on a trip to promote the North as an investment location to US companies. What this shows is that there is a peace dividend in play - albeit a more subtle one than some had hoped for.

There has been no fanfare trumpeting the creation of thousands of new jobs overnight as a result of the peace process. In fact, it has been quite the opposite scenario in some cases as the North continues to lose jobs to cheaper overseas competitors.

But decisions such as that of Aer Lingus to invest €150 million in a new Belfast base and in the process create 100 jobs, reflects changing perceptions about the North.

Aer Lingus expects to carry more than 500,000 passengers on nine new routes out of Belfast during its first year in operation. The economic potential in terms of attracting tourists to visit and, of course, spend money is crucial to the North if it is to capitalise on one of its biggest assets.

A certain Swedish furniture retailer is hoping to become something of a major attraction for locals and tourists when it opens later this week in Belfast.

Helicopters overhead and a heavy police presence are nothing new to the North - but they are unusual if they accompany a store opening.

The official opening of Ikea's new 29,000sq m store at the Holywood Exchange on Thursday is, in some circles, as important as the Good Friday agreement. Stormont Ministers must be wishing they too could generate the amount of excitement about economic issues that appears to surround the prospect of being able to haul flat-pack furniture from a store to your car.

Despite the excitement surrounding the arrival of Ikea, there is a showdown looming between the business community and British prime minister Gordon Brown.

Over the last few months, the former head of the UK's Inland Revenue has been looking at what impact current tax policies have on the North's economy.

Business leaders and politicians have been lobbying the man in question - Sir David Varney - to convince him that what the North needs most is a radical cut in the rate of corporation tax. It is a pretty simple argument - the North has a rate of 30 per cent, the South has one of 12.5 per cent, so when it comes to wooing potential new investors the North is at a considerable disadvantage. You would think a former chancellor of the British Exchequer would be somewhat sympathetic to the equation but it appears not.

Mr Brown has made some indiscreet remarks that suggest he will not be supporting any pleas for a cut in the North's corporation tax. It is understood that he believes there are other ways to encourage new investment including creating incentives for companies to invest in the North.

Sir David has confirmed Mr Brown is now in possession of his report but it appears it has not yet made its way in to the hands of any of the Northern Ireland Executive.

In the meantime, anger is mounting among business leaders. There is a strong feeling that if Gordon Brown does not make a significant gesture to support efforts to attract inward investment, he will be selling the North short.

Worse still, he could irretrievably jeopardise any future peace dividend - and no amount of Ikea openings or flights to and from Belfast will compensate for that.