Chair lays down marker she’s not to be messed with

The words from Josephine Feehily — and the way she said them — came across as a clear signal of intent.

Asked by the Irish Examiner was she happy the Policing Authority was sufficiently independent, the chairwoman replied: “I’m happy that the bill gives the authority as much independence as it can do, in the context of the Constitutional parameters that are there.”

She added: “I think those of you who have met me before will know I am fairly independently minded myself, so you can take it I will be exercising that independence to the fullest extent that the bill allows.”