ON THE COUCH: Christy Lynchis chairman of Best Buddies Ireland and chief executive of Kare.
Family/personal:Married to Ann with two adult sons.
Which living person do you most admire and why?Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver. Most people know her as the founder of the Special Olympics. Aside from that she has devoted her life to promoting the rights and development of services for people with intellectual disabilities.
What do you regard as the top three problems facing Ireland's health system?Most people have a very narrow view of the health service and often the debate gets reduced to discussions about how many hours people wait in AE, but there is so much more to the health service.
The public needs to be aware of all the people in the Health Service Executive (HSE) who deliver good quality care.
There have, for example, been major improvements for people with intellectual disabilities and their families in the last decade.
There is also a need to restore public confidence in the health service.
Finally, there will always be a battle between demand versus resources.
We all want good quality healthcare and it should be available, but we can not all have state-of-the-art services in the form we want on our doorstep.
What is your greatest extravagance?Building a summer house in Donegal.
What is your most unhealthy habit?I take almost no exercise.
How do you relax?Spending time with friends. A nice bottle of wine at a dinner party.
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?Nelson Mandela.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?To be healthy and to have good relationships and friends in your life.
What trait do you most value in your friends?Honesty.
What talent would you most like to have?To be able to play a musical instrument.
Do you use alternative/complementary medicines or therapies?No.
What is your earliest memory?I remember being in my father's arms as he carried me up a very dark staircase with someone coming behind us making a humming sound by blowing into a milk bottle. I was terrified.
What is your most treasured possession?The house in Donegal.
What other career might you have chosen?Law.
What books or films have inspired you?I recently watched a film called Inside I'm Dancingand I felt it portrayed disability issues very well. It was about the move away from a paternalistic over-caring model to one that recognises people with disabilities as equal citizens who may need support to lead their lives in the way they want.
In conversation with Fiona Tyrrell