Dr Fergus O'Ferrall: Director of The Adelaide Hospital Society, which generates support for the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, incorporating the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght, Co Dublin.
Personal & family: Married to Iris, three daughters - Eilís, Deirdre and Sinéad.
What figure from the world of health/medicine do you most admire?
I admire those who live what they believe; particularly Florence Nightingale who transformed nursing and inspired the foundation of the Adelaide School of Nursing in 1859 and Dr Kathleen Lynn (1874-1955) who pioneered preventive healthcare for children in Dublin and lived out her Republican values of social justice in practice.
What alternative career might you have chosen?
As author of books on Catholic Emancipation and Daniel O'Connell, I suppose I might have made a career as a historian.
If you were appointed Minister for Health, what would be your first priority?
The introduction of a comprehensive social insurance system for everyone and the consequent devolution of power to all public healthcare providers on a not-for-profit governance basis and the provision of a free comprehensive primary care service.
Do you have a phobia/what is your greatest fear?
I have no known phobias.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one?
The famous Dr Sugars oversaw my broken arm and leg rugby injuries at the Adelaide and I was a model patient!
What three books would you bring to a desert island?
I would bring George Herbert The Complete English Works (Everyman's Library, new edition, 1995) - a complete poetic exploration of Christian spirituality; Etty The Letters and Diaries of Etty Hillesum 1941-1943, Ed K.A.D. Smelik (Eerdman's Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002) - Etty's diaries inspire wonderfully, no matter how grim the human circumstances appear, and The Bible (New Jerusalem version) - a wonderful version to explore the Scriptures.
Have you a fail-safe method of dealing with stress?
Walking my dog, Patch, and listening to Lyric FM.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme?
I enjoy many TV programmes, particularly news/current affairs, history/documentaries and "soaps" such as Coronation Street.
If you did not live in Ireland, where would you choose to spend the rest of your life?
Greece - it has nearly everything required for happiness!
Summarise yourself in 12 words?
Amiable, caring, fun-loving, sociable, book-lover, easy-going, tolerant - I'm running out of favourable ways to describe myself!
Do you use alternative medicine/therapies?
No.
Who or what makes you laugh?
Steve Martin in Father of the Bride (I've three daughters after all!)