Revenue chief appointed chairperson-designate of Policing Authority

Josephine Feehily has been nominated as the first Chairperson-designate of the planned new independent Policing Authority.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald made the announcement this evening.

Ms Feehily was nominated by Government having previously applied for the position by way of an open "expressions of interest" process administered by the Public Appointments Service.

She has 41 years of experience working in large organisations both in Ireland and at international level.

Ms Feehily has served as Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners for the past 16 years, helping to introduce the Local Property Tax, and will complete her posting as head of the Revenue Commissioners in January.

Commenting on the nomination, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald stated: “Josephine Feehily is a woman of unimpeachable integrity and unquestioned ability.

“She will bring a wealth of experience and competences, including in the area of investigations, to her new independent role leading the public oversight of policing in Ireland.

“With 41 years of invaluable experience of public service leadership, governance and change management, Josephine will also be ideally placed to oversee and support the reform, modernisation of systems and upgrading of technology which is now required in An Garda Síochána.”

Commenting on the planned new Policing Authority, Minister Fitzgerald stated: "The planned establishment of an independent Policing Authority represents one of the most far reaching reforms of An Garda Síochána since the foundation of the State and is a major element of the comprehensive programme of justice reform which is being delivered by the Government.

“The new independent Policing Authority will bring a further layer of public accountability to the administration of policing services, while it will also provide a new engine to drive reforms of the policing system and practices to ensure that An Garda Síochána is fit to meet the ongoing and emerging challenges of 21st century policing.”