George Kennedy, chief executive of the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.
Personal/family:married to Dolores with two children Jane and Lisa Anne.
What figure from the world of health or medicine do you most admire?
The Department of Health's chief medical officer Dr Jim Kiely. He's a good person to have on the side of health in this country because he's always looking out for the patient's needs - and he also happens to be my first cousin.
What other career might you have chosen?
I would have been a business consultant.
If you could grant three wishes for the health service, what would they be?
Enough hospital beds for everyone who needs one; no discrimination between public and private patients; and better respite services and facilities all round.
What is your greatest fear?
I was on a flight a couple of years ago that had to land suddenly. It's scary when you have no control over what is happening to you. Although, the fear wouldn't stop me from flying.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one?
I had a fairly bad sports injury years ago and I was a dreadful patient. I think everyone around me was very happy when I got back on my feet.
When or where are you happiest?
Apart from when I'm with my family, I'm happiest when I'm on the golf course. It's always very tranquil and I have lots of thinking time.
How do you cope with stress?
I like working in the garden. I have a passion for growing vegetables and I love planting them, nurturing them and then watching them grow.
What is the trait that you most admire within yourself?
I'm extremely determined. If I care about something, I'll work really hard to see it through.
What is the trait you most dislike in yourself?
I can be a bit pigheaded. If I get an idea, I latch on to it and find it difficult to let go.
Do you use alternative or complementary medicine or therapies?
I tend to have trouble sleeping at times and I also have a touch of rheumatism. I spent some time in China and I was very interested in Chinese methods of medicine. My rheumatism is now cured and I drink a lot of herbal teas to help with my sleeping.
Who or what makes you laugh?
Billy Connolly and Eddie Murphy.
What is your motto?
Problems are not an obstacle, they're a challenge.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme?
I like Prime Time on RTÉ 1 and I also like to watch things like Consumer Watchdog on the BBC.
What books would you bring to a desert island?
I'd bring GAA Confidential, by Darragh McManus, The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver and Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks.
In conversation with Fiona Tyrrell