The dreaded "taxman" is no more. Be prepared for demands from the "tax person" following the appointment of the first female Revenue Commissioner. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, appointed Ms Josephine Feehily to the position yesterday, after receipt of a report from the Top Level Appointments Commission. While more than 6,000 people work with the Revenue Commissioners, the title of Revenue Commissioner is reserved for the three people who sit on the Revenue's main board.

Ms Feehily has been an assistant secretary in the Revenue for almost five years. As head of corporate planning, her responsibilities have included strategic planning, organisation development, customer service policy and press and public relations. She has also acted as accountant general.

She is a former head of the Revenue's human resources division.

She will be paid about £85,000 in her new position, working alongside the chairman of the Revenue, Mr Dermot Quigley, and the other revenue commissioner, Mr Frank Daly.

She is a member of the Strategic Management Initiative human resource management working group and several sub-groups, including the equality working group which she chairs. Prior to taking up employment with the Revenue Commissioners, Ms Feehily (42), who is married, held a number of positions in the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, including the posts of press officer and personnel officer. She has also worked in the semi-state sector as head of information and research with the Pensions Board.