Prior to her election to the London Assembly, she ran a management consulting business, DD Enterprises.

She served as a Liberal councillor in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames from 1986 to 1994, and was chair of the council's Housing Committee.

She was originally elected as the fifth person on the Liberal Democrat party list, as a London-wide member of the Assembly.

The Commission and the Finance Committee arose from recommendations of the Lords Leader's Group on Governance, of which Baroness Doocey was a member.

Born Elizabeth Deirdre O'Keefe in Drumcondra, Dublin, she married Jim Doocey and they have one son.