Jillian van Turnhout (Independent)
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I too welcome the witnesses. I echo Deputy Ó Caoláin's comment that the witnesses are preaching to the converted. I am not breaking any confidence by saying that in private session everybody has been very supportive of the Happy New Ear campaign.

Like Deputy Ó Caoláin, I wonder how the business case made by the group has been received. Do they believe the backlog will be dealt with? When we last met, there was talk of grouping of children. Group 1 comprised about 65 children aged five years. I am trying to imagine how long a child must wait for the implant.

A mailing to members outlined the case of a girl who had an implant which failed and then had to undergo surgery to remove the failed implant and have it replaced with a new one. This mother spoke of her daughter being traumatised and not allowing her out of sight. That left her in silence for at best five weeks. We know that one can only switch on the implant four weeks after surgery. We also know that a child must readapt to all the sounds, as the electrodes will not hit the exact same point. What a person may know as the sound of a bouncing ball behind him or her is now a sound that he or she must relearn. I had not realised that. I am very conscious that of the children with a single implant, a failed implant or none, many are living in silence. I would like to hear a more detailed response on this issue. I am getting more sceptical and I wonder if there is a clear plan to deal with the backlog and ensure the children will get the implants they need.