Fergus Shanahan, professor of medicine at University College Cork.
Occupation: Professor of medicine in University College Cork, consultant gastroenterologist at Cork University Hospital and director of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, a research centre funded, in part, by the Science Foundation Ireland.
Personal/family: Married to Nora with sons Joseph and Patrick and daughter Rosemary.
What figure from the world of medicine or health do you most admire? I admire two fine Irishmen. Noel Browne, doctor and politician, for his failures and successes on behalf of the Irish public. I also admire the scientific contributions to the welfare of mankind made by Denis Burkitt who discovered a childhood cancer that occurs principally in Africa and who pioneered the use of fibre in the modern diet.
What other career might you have chosen? Law. I'm a wannabe barrister.
If you could grant three wishes for the health service, what would they be? I would see that the superficial level of debate about healthcare problems be raised to a more scientific level.
I would ensure that administrative personnel within the service are encouraged to be ambitious, take risks and stop defending the status quo.
I would also make sure that Mary Harney is given the time needed to complete the job.
What is your greatest fear? Illness in my family.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one? Yes and yes.
When or where are you happiest? Golfing on the rare occasion when I am two up in match play with my sons and friends with one more to play and then gloating over the postmortem at the 19th.
What is the trait you most admire in yourself? Decisiveness.
What is the trait you most dislike in yourself? Impatience with bureaucracy and with those who try to preserve the status quo.
Do you use alternative or complementary medicine or therapies? Yes. I prefer the term comprehensive medicine, which embraces both conventional and complementary therapy.
Who or what makes you laugh? Billy Connolly and opportunities to banter with friends or anyone with a sense of the absurd.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme? On radio John Kelly's now-cancelled RTÉ radio programme Mystery Train and on TV John Kelly's The View.
(In conversation with Fiona Tyrrell)