Josephine Feehily has over 20 years’ experience at the most senior levels in the Irish public service and, since her retirement from full-time executive work, in leading critical change initiatives on behalf of the Irish Government.
During her career she held a wide range of positions including leading the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, – the Irish Tax and Customs agency – recognised as one of the most agile and digitally enabled public bodies. In Revenue, she was Commissioner from 1998 and executive Chairman from 2008 to 2015 – the first woman to hold either position. She led significant change and innovation during a time of growth and challenge.
During her Revenue career, Josephine was Chair of the World Customs Organisation and Chair of the OECD Forum for Tax Administration – a forum of leaders of advanced Tax Authorities. In these various roles, she interacted with Ministers, the most senior ranks of the public service, business leaders and international bodies and gained a deep understanding of the issues facing Government decision-makers and businesses.
In recent years, as part of a suite of reform measures in the Justice sector, she established and chaired the first Policing Authority in Ireland, to oversee the performance by the Garda Síochána of its policing functions and to make senior Garda appointments independent of Government. Most recently, she chaired the Pensions Commission established by Government to review aspects of Ireland’s State pension system and the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.
Josephine is a graduate of the National College of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin. In recognition of her public service career, Josephine was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick in 2016 and a distinguished fellowship by Griffith College in 2019. The Irish Academy of Management awarded the 2021 Whittaker Award to Josephine in recognition of her contribution to Irish Management.