<p>
	The family of a Roma child taken into State care are seeking over &euro;100,000 in compensation.</p>
<p>
	The Irish Independent has learned that a court action, likely to be heard next April, will bring a number of claims against the authorities.</p>
<p>
	The action is on behalf of two-year-old Iancu Muntean who was controversially removed from his home by Gardai in Athlone in October last year.</p>
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	His father and mother are bringing separate actions, it has emerged. The family is claiming a breach of their constitutional and human rights, false arrest, and possibly defamation.</p>
<p>
	It is understood claims relating to false imprisonment and assault will also be brought against the state.</p>
<p>
	Paul Connellan, the family&#39;s solicitor, said he&#39;s waiting for the state to file their defences in each of the cases.</p>
<p>
	Well-placed sources say the claim of assault stems from the manner in which family members were brought to the police station and detained.</p>
<p>
	The child&#39;s father, Iancu Snr, said the family &quot;are still getting over everything that happened. to us.&quot;</p>
<p>
	&quot;My son is not too bad now, but for a few months after everything he was always crying and he couldn&#39;t sleep at night time,&quot; he told the Irish Independent.</p>
<p>
	&quot;If somebody knocks on the door he&#39;s very scared. If he doesn&#39;t know their face he gets very nervous, particularly with guards in uniform, who visited for the investigation afterwards.&quot;</p>
<p>
	He added: &quot;I had to go to the GP because I wasn&#39;t sleeping at all for a long time.</p>
<p>
	&quot;I was so scared and anxious he gave me tablets which helped me to calm down and sleep. I kept thinking bad things would happen, and I didn&#39;t know why all this had happened to me. My wife couldn&#39;t take tablets because she was pregnant.</p>
<p>
	&quot;We got an apology but that is not enough. I want to know why the guards did this to me and my family.&quot;</p>
<p>
	Mr Connellan would not be drawn on how much the family are seeking, but conceded it is for &quot;significant damages.&quot;</p>
<p>
	A seven-year-old blonde-haired, blue-eyed Roma girl was also removed from her family in Tallaght, south Dublin, in the same month last year.</p>
<p>
	Waheed Mudah, solicitor for the family, said &quot;work is in progress&quot; regarding possible legal action.</p>
<p>
	&quot;We will have a better indication how things are going in early January,&quot; he added.</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/roma-boys-family-seek-100000-in-damages-from-state-30786882.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/roma-boys-family-seek-100000-in-damages-from-state-30786882.html</a></p>
