The Revenue's Commissioner's new chairwoman has had a broad range of responsibilities, writes Colm Keena

JOSEPHINE FEEHILY, the new chairwoman of the Revenue Commissioners, takes up office as the agency finds itself having to come to terms with changed economic circumstances.

A Revenue commissioner since 1998, one of Feehily's particular areas of responsibility has been the Collector General's division, where staff this year are getting used to dealing with people and businesses trying to cope with the economic downturn.

Securing timely payment of taxes due has been a focus of the division during the boom years, but 2008 is likely to see a significant increase in taxpayers' seeking payment by instalment, and delayed payments.

For many of the staff involved, dealing with taxpayers against a backdrop of difficult economic conditions, will be a new experience.

Feehily is currently vice chairwoman of the World Customs Organisation. Since September 11th, 2001, the focus of customs agencies has shifted from combatting contraband to security issues, and in particular the prevention of the movement of arms and other material by terrorist organisations.

A system is currently being introduced whereby businesses involved in export will, if their own security systems are deemed adequate, be granted a special status that will allow them to move freight more freely within the EU and, eventually, to the US.

This will allow customs authorities to concentrate more resources on freight being moved by those outside the new system.

The allocation of increased resources and new equipment to the fight against the importatation of drugs was announced recently, and the fight against drug smuggling is likely to be another focus of Feehily's time as chairwoman.

As a commissioner she was heavily involved in the restructuring of the Revenue a number of years ago.

One of the divisions that emerged from that process was the large cases division, which deals with the State's largest businesses, including the multinationals, as well as its highest net worth individuals.

As well as having responsibility for this division, Feehily also currently has responsibility at board level for policy, legislation and international matters relating to tax and customs.

This mix of roles meant that she could use what she learned from the operational side to inform her input into the policy and legislative change aspect of her work.

Her engagement with the multinationals at commissioner level, and international matters generally, could be married to her work on policy and legislation so as to assist in the collection of taxes while at the same time keeping an eye on the interests of Ireland Inc.

Feehily worked on the reforming of VAT on property that was finalised in the recent Finance Bill, as well as on the "greening" of VRT.

She was also involved in the review of tax relief on pensions that saw the introduction of a cap on the size of pension funds above which the contributor would no longer qualify for relief.

Before being appointed to commissioner level, Feehily had responsibility for human resources and corporate management in the organisation, and also served as accountant general of the Revenue.

Before joining the Revenue in 1993, she had worked with the Deptartment of Social and Family Affairs and the Pensions Board. She was also a member of the Labour Relations Commission until last year.

Feehily takes on her new role on March 13th next. She replaces Frank Daly, who has been appointed chairman of the new Commission on Taxation.

A native of Clarina, Co Limerick, Feehily is married and lives in Co Meath. She is a graduate in personnel management from the National College of Ireland and a masters graduate from Trinity College Dublin.