Ms Amie O'Connor:

If a child is given these implants, money will be saved on speech and language therapy, FM systems at school and so on. It will put them into the workforce eventually and they will pay taxes and give money to the State. There is a high rate of depression among deaf children and deaf adults because they are socially excluded. Our children could be socially excluded if they cannot speak to people in a work environment, and we do not want that to arise. This will save the State a lot of money eventually.