Leading questions

Joe O'TooleINTO general secretary

Star sign: Everyone knows I'm "crabbie".

Favourite food: Hot and spicy anything

Desert island discs: Mary Black, Bach, Mozart, John Lee Hooker, Clapton, Neil Young, Ry Cooder

Person you would least like to spend your birthday with: I hate birthdays and don't celebrate them.

Person you would most like to spend your birthday with: ditto

Most embarrassing moment: "Moment!" It felt like hours. Not telling you these!!!

Favourite film: Impactful film - The Killing Fields/ Remains of the Day

First book you read: Black Beauty

Book you are currently reading: Cruising Notes on the English Channel

Recurring nightmare: Congress as Groundhog Day

Favourite comic-book character: Shane Ross

Number of languages you speak: Two and a half

Do you do your own ironing? My image would improve if I could only say "yes" to this. Why didn't you ask me about the lawn mowing? Last time you took the bus: When I was at college

Last holiday: Every day is a holiday to me.

Ministers Martin, Bhreatnach, O'Rourke, Brennan, Hussey and Boland . . . choose your favourite. Why did you exclude Noel Davern?

Favourite tipple: Alcohol in black and white

Your pet: My "Lapdog" computer

Favourite exercise: Standing at a bar

Favourite item of clothing: Anything silk

Car: Fast and noisy like myself

If you weren't doing this job, what would you like to be? I'd like to be glad.

Write your own epitaph: Here lies a man, sorry person.

Tony Bates

INTO president

Star sign: Gemini

Favourite food: Anything cooked by someone else

Desert island discs: Just One for my Baby and One More for the Road

Person you would least like to spend your birthday with: Someone who can count

Person you would most like to spend your birthday with: Brid, she's too polite to count

Most embarrassing moment: Filling in this questionnaire

Favourite film: Any Laurel and Hardy one

First book you read: Coral Island

Book you are currently reading: A Guide to Plants Poisonous to Horses by Keith Allison

Recurring nightmare: Don't have one

Favourite comic-book character: Denis the Menace

Number of languages you speak: Two, good and bad

Do you do your own ironing? What's that?

Last time you took the bus: I don't usually take buses, I leave them to CIE

Last holiday: Scottish highlands

Ministers Martin, Bhreatnach, O'Rourke, Brennan, Hussey and Boland . . . choose your favourite. In that case I don't have to choose.

Favourite tipple: R.M. (those who know me know what it is, if not it means they owe me a few)

Your pet: She's lovely

Favourite exercise: This is a family newspaper

Favourite item of clothing: A jumper

Car: Toyota Carina

If you weren't doing this job, what would you like to be? Sultan of Brunei

Write your own epitaph: Wow! That was brill.

Charlie Lennon

ASTI general secretary

Star sign: Taurus

Favourite food: Sunday dinner

Desert island disc: Sultans of Swing

Person you would least like to spend your birthday with: My grandfather (he's dead)

Person you would most like to spend your birthday with: My grandson (he's two)

Most embarrassing moment: Being hugged and kissed effusively by a large African male in full native dress in front of 500 conference delegates

Favourite film: Schindler's List

First book you read: Ladybird Book 1A

Book you are currently reading: ASTI annual report/ The Untouchable by Banville

Recurring nightmare: Falling off a conference platform in front of the delegates

Favourite comic-book character: Asterix

Number of languages you speak: About two, when all of the bits are added together

Do you do your own ironing? Not if I can avoid it!

Last time you took the bus: 1972

Last holiday: Olbreuse

Ministers Martin, Bhreatnach, O'Rourke, Brennan, Hussey and Boland . . . choose your favourite: The current one - until the next appointment is made

Favourite tipple: The current one

Your pet: Several but they wouldn't wish to be identified

Favourite exercise: Climbing up the stairs to the stand at Lansdowne Road or Croke Park

Favourite item of clothing: Anything except a tuxedo

Car: Safe, comfortable and powerful (in any order)

If you weren't doing this job, what would you like to be? President (of the USA, Ireland or the ASTI - in that order)

Write your own epitaph: A good student - given encouragement he went far.

John Hurley

ASTI president

Star sign: Gemini

Favourite food: Fish

Desert island discs: Nessun Dorma (in Irish); Canon (Berlioz); Lovely Rose of Clare; Lonely Shepherd

Person you would least like to spend your birthday with: Hannibal Lecter

Person you would most like to spend your birthday with: A middle-aged, attractive home economics teacher whose birthday is on March 16th

Most embarrassing moment: Answering a telephone call from a bogus Telecom technician

Favourite film: Any film based on Neil Simon's plays

First book you read: Popular names for a boy!

Book you are currently reading: Jim Kemmy's last Limerick compendium

Recurring nightmare: Missing a one-foot putt for the Masters

Favourite comic-book character: Plug in the Bash Street Kids

Number of languages you speak: Two

Do you do your own ironing? Yes - particularly this year

Last time you took the bus: Yesterday

Last holiday: With family in Australia last year

Ministers Martin, Bhreatnach, O'Rourke, Brennan, Hussey and Boland . . . choose your favourite: Martin

Favourite tipple: Rock shandy or glass of sweet white wine

Your pet: Budgie called Bluey

Favourite exercise: Golf

Favourite item of clothing: Big toe glove

Car: 1993 Nissan Primera

If you weren't doing this job, what would you like to be? Doing Pat Kenny's job

Write your own epitaph: We'll never forget you, Minister.

Jim Dorney

TUI general secretary

Star sign: Aries

Favourite food: Shellfish

Desert island disc: The Dubliners

Person you would least like to spend your birthday with: Anyone other than Margaret (my present wife)

Person you would most like to spend your birthday with: Margaret (my present wife)

Most embarrassing moment: Filling in this questionnaire

Favourite film: At present, The Butcher Boy

First book you read: Ulysses (Ladybird version)

Book you are currently reading: Desperados by Joe O'Connor

Recurring nightmare: That the television broke down

Favourite comic-book character: The Lone Ranger and Tonto

Number of languages you speak: One well; two badly

Do you do your own ironing? In emergencies

Last time you took the bus: Yesterday

Last holiday: Camping in France, and the year before, and the year before . . .

Ministers Martin, Bhreatnach, O'Rourke, Brennan, Hussey and Boland . . . choose your favourite: My lips are sealed.

Favourite tipple: Carlsberg, probably

Your pet: I had a hamster once.

Favourite exercise: Sailing

Favourite item of clothing: My nautical cap

Car: Like the Department - good when it gets going

If you weren't doing this job, what would you like to be? Taoiseach

Write your own epitaph: This is tempting fate (to answer this question).

Alice Prendergast

TUI president

Star sign: Aquarius

Favourite food: Smoked salmon

Desert island disc: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon

Person you would least like to spend your birthday with: Shane Ross

Person you would most like to spend your birthday with: Bill Clinton

Most embarrassing moment: Too many

Favourite film: A Fish Called Wanda

First book you read: The Chalet School

Book you are currently reading: Betrayed by Maurice Manning

Recurring nightmare: PCW, PCW, PCW, PCW, PCW . . .

Favourite comic-book character: The four Marys

Number of languages you speak: Two

Do you do your own ironing? Rarely

Last time you took the bus: October - Palermo, Sicily

Last holiday: Portugal

Ministers Martin, Bhreatnach, O'Rourke, Brennan, Hussey and Boland . . . choose your favourite: Always the current incumbent

Favourite tipple: Ginger ale with an "occasional" brandy added

Your pet: He knows

Favourite exercise: Thinking about exercise

Favourite item of clothing: None - i.e. no favourite item

Car: Primera

If you weren't doing this job, what would you like to be? President of TUI

Write your own epitaph: I wish I'd made a will.