Josephine Feehily named as new Policing Authority chair

The Government has appointed the outgoing chairman of the Revenue Commissioners Josephine Feehily as the new chairperson of the Policing Authority.

The appointment was due to be officially announced this afternoon.

Ms Feehily’s first task in her new position will be to assist in the selection of the next Garda Commissioner, a post currently filled on a interim basis by Noirin O’Sullivan.

Ms Feehily will also take control of establishing the Policing Authority, which is still at a fledgling stage and will not be fully operational for some months.

The heads of the Bill providing for the new authority were published last week.

The authority will bring a further layer of public accountability to the administration of policing services and act as a buffer between politics and policing.

Ms Feehily will complete her term as chairman of the Revenue Commissioners in January. She has held the post since 2008.

She is a previous Commissioner in the Revenue Commissioners and also a former assistant secretary with the body.