Dermot Quigley to retire after 42 years of public service

Revenue Commissioners chairman Mr Dermot Quigley will retire in March after 42 years in the public service. The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has appointed Mr Frank Daly, (right) who has been a Revenue Commissioner since 1996, to replace him.

Mr McCreevy yesterday congratulated Mr Quigley on his outstanding service to the State and on the success of his period of office as chairman. "During this time, Revenue has had considerable success in responding to the disclosure of significant tax evasion as well as pushing ahead with its improvement in service for taxpayers and with the modernisation and restructuring of the office," he said.

Mr Quigley's tenure has been high profile during which he led the Revenue's team at the DIRT inquiry. He has also overseen investigations into the alleged facilitation of tax evasion by National Irish Bank and of the Ansbacher deposits discovered by the McCracken tribunal. These investigations have so far resulted in the collection of €500 million (£394 million) in unpaid taxes.

He assumed the chairman's role in 1998 having been a member of the board of the Revenue Commissions since 1990.

Mr Daly will take over the €161,000 a year job on March 6th. Since May 2001, he has had particular responsibility at board level for the Office of the Chief Inspector of Taxes and for direct taxes policy and international affairs. From Abbeyside, Co Waterford, Mr Daly joined the Revenue in 1963 and has spent much of his career in the customs and excise division. He is married to Elaine and has two sons.

Mr Quigley is from Dublin. He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Westland Row and later studied at University College Dublin and completed a diploma in financial analysis and policy from the IMF in Washington DC.

He joined the Department of Finance in 1965 as an administrative officer, moving on to serve as assistant principal and principal in various sections dealing with domestic, European and international finance matters, including Ireland's entry to the European Monetary System in 1979.

In 1985, Mr Quigley was appointed assistant secretary for borrowing and debt management and moved to handle budgetary and taxations matters in the Department from 1988 to 1990.

He was promoted to the position of Revenue Commissioner in October 1990 becoming one of three board members before becoming chairman.

Mr Quigley has been involved in influencing legislation on income tax and capital gains tax and played a major role in securing greater powers for the Revenue, which include access to bank accounts.

He played a significant role in the establishment of the Criminal Asset Bureau and has overseen substantial investment in new technology to assist in tax collection. He is also a member of the Tax Strategy Group.