Thomas McDermott, Laois Sports Partnership
Occupation: Co-ordinator, Laois Sports Partnership. This cross-community body seeks to increase participation in sport and physical activity among the population of Laois. It is one of 16 local sports partnerships nationwide supported by the Irish Sports Council.
Personal/family: Married to Cliodhna, dad to Louis and Finn.
What figure from the world of medicine/ health do you most admire? Can I be a little flexible here? I have great admiration for all those who work in hospices and children's hospitals. On an individual level I admire Mick O'Dwyer, former Kerry supremo and current Laois GAA manager. He is over 50 years in the game and still has enormous energy. He doesn't drink or smoke and walks for an hour a day, regardless of his work schedule.
What other career might you have chosen? My father was a publican so there was always an affection towards that. He still works as an undertaker - but that side of the business held less appeal for me!
If you were appointed Minister for Health, what would be your first priority? Lock the Cabinet into a room and not let them out until a proper inter-departmental programme of actions (and budgets) tackling all aspects of health had been agreed. Everything seems so scattered at present.
Do you have a phobia/what is your greatest fear? Going blind would be my biggest fear. After that, my post-playing career - I've dropped down to our third team now.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one? When I was younger, my medical history read like a small novel - knocked down by a car, kidney, foot and knee operations, etc. I think I was a good patient, I loved the attention.
What three books would you bring to a desert island? I'm a news addict but not an avid book reader. Probably crossword puzzles (with solutions), a biography on someone famous like Gandhi or Napoleon and a Calvin & Hobbes book.
Have you a fail-safe method of dealing with stress? Walking, regardless of the weather.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme? Radio - World Report, Saturday morning on RTÉ Radio 1. TV - Scrubs on RTÉ 2.
If you did not live in Ireland, where would you choose to spend the rest of your life? A difficult question. Maybe summers in Scandinavia and winters in the south of France. Don't see it happening soon though.
Summarise yourself in 12 words: Conscientious and generous, could be better organised and not a DIY man.
Do you use alternative medicine/therapies? No. Unless you count going out for a walk/cycle or having a drink with family or friends.
Who or what makes you laugh? Classic programmes such as Frasier, Only Fools & Horses or Father Ted, the Michael Noonan impersonator on Ian Dempsey's radio show and my son, Louis, who comes out with some very funny lines.
(Interview by Dr Muiris Houston)