<P> Irene arrives in Summer Bay as the alcoholic mother of three children, Nathan, Damian and Fin, being fostered by Pippa Ross . Having hit rock bottom after an unhappy marriage, she had started drinking heavily as a coping mechanism, and it was soon revealed that she had used violence towards Damian and Nathan on occasions while under the influence . Although Damian and Fin try to maintain a relationship with her following her arrival, her drunken antics prove too much, and after falling down the stairs after a binge, she falsely accuses Damian and Fin of pushing her and then threatens to harm Pippa if she does not release Damian from her care . This proves to be the final straw for Damian and Fin; unable to cope with her behaviour any longer, the two, backed by Pippa and her husband Michael, tell Irene to leave the Bay and go home and get her life back together . </P> <P> After an 18 - month absence, Irene returns to the Bay after hearing in the news that Fin had nearly drowned during a deep sea dive . By this time, Irene had turned her life around and had not touched alcohol in over a year . Although initially sceptical, her children soon warmed to her when they realised that she really had changed for the better, and, following the arrival of Damian and Fin's brother Nathan in the Bay when Irene was considering leaving, Nathan explained that their mother was now recovered from alcoholism and had left their father; as a result Damian and Fin decided that they wanted her to stay at Summer Bay permananently . Despite the previous animosity between the two, Irene also soon becomes firm friends with Pippa, displaying a kinder side to her personality when she helps Pippa come to terms with the loss of her son Dale who died of cot death, and the death of her husband Michael, who drowned in a flash flood . </P> <P> Before long Irene would become one of the key characters in the series, taking over the Beach House . Her three biological children moved back in with her, and she also fostered a number of other young people over time . </P> <P> Irene and Angie Russell (Laurie Foell) took an instant dislike to each other . Angie tried getting Irene in trouble with the law by framing her for sexually interfering with Nick, but Irene threatened Angie and did some detective work before eventually learning that Angie and Nick had been having an affair themselves . Horrified, Irene assaulted Angie and did her best from then on to destroy her . After Angie's dodgy past was exposed, Irene attended Angie's walk of shame at the school . Irene, amongst several others, was a top suspect when Angie was found dead . But it eventually turned out that Dylan, Angie's son, had accidentally killed her during an argument . Not disappointed by Angie's death, Irene was later shocked when Angie's past came back to haunt her instead in the form of Tasha Andrews (Isabel Lucas). Irene adopts homeless Tasha but Angie's cousin, Josie Russell (Laurie Foell), turned up in town demanding legal custody of Tasha . Fortunately, Morag Bellingham (Cornelia Frances) assisted Irene in fighting Josie, who then backed off . Irene was later shocked when Josie revealed that Tasha's father had planted surveillance cameras in her house to spy over her and Irene . Morag managed to convince Irene to meet with Tasha's father, who then agreed to take the cameras away . In the end, Tasha stayed with Irene and Josie backed off once and for all . </P>

Who lived with irene in home and away