THE mother in north Belfast whose four children were taken into care by social services after they were found living in squalor has said she is determined to get them back.
Ms Patricia Quinn (22) has denied they were neglected and has accused neighbours of mounting a hate campaign against her. They deny this.
Her children, aged from four years to 10 months, were removed from the house in Havana Walk in Ardoyne last Saturday after neighbours contacted the RUC. Police found them, dirty and hungry, in the care of four youths.
The house was littered with rubbish, there was a strong smell of beer and urine, no bedclothes on the beds and the mattress of the baby's cot was soaked with urine. Social workers had visited the house regularly and the North and West Belfast Social Services Trust is conducting an investigation into the case.
Ms Quinn had lived with the father of her children, Mr Conor Braniff for five years until they separated last year. He is now married to a woman who has three children. He sees his own children occasionally.
Mr Braniff spoke to social services after his children were taken into care but said he was told that he had no right to see them. He said that he now wanted joint custody, with the children staying with him for half the week.
He criticised Ms Quinn for the condition of the children and said when they lived together things weren't the best but there wasn't this here carry on. He admitted he had not seen his children very often since the separation.
Mr Braniffs mother, Marion, said the children were better off in care, as they would be clothed and fed.
Ms Quinn said she was puzzled as to why her ex boyfriend was offering help now. He "never showed his face until this happened", she said.
It is believed Ms Quinn yesterday visited her children.