Giving the NI gov the power over APD forces some challenging choices.
Doing nothing whilst blaming Westminster for all economic woes (the basis of NI economic policy for decades) is not such an easy option.
Ultimately if you get rid of APD in NI, the lost revenue has to be found from elsewhere or funding for another service needs to be cut.
Now APD is a progressive tax as it is paid more by wealthier people - business class pays more; wealthier people have more holidays, poor people who can't afford foreign holidays don't pay it at all etc - so it is a fair tax.
That's not the same as saying that it should even exist for economic growth reasons BUT the fact that it already exists and is a valuable source of revenue makes it far from a 'no-brainer' as some on this forum would believe - it's an aviation forum after all.
The question facing Stormont amounts to:
Is it fair to get rid of APD so that wealthier people don't have to pay as much to get to their villas in Southern Spain but, at the same time, cuts to government spending due to reduced revenues mean that those in more need have to suffer?
Glad I don't have to make that call.