Updated 19:40
Two Dublin schools have been closed with immediate effect amid concerns over 'significant structural issues'.
Earlier this week, fears over fire safety issues forced Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan to close one of its buildings.
It was confirmed yesterday that "urgent structural assessments" are being carried out at 30 schools where building projects were completed by Western Building Systems.
Tyrrelstown Educate Together School and St Luke's National School in Tyrrelstown are now both being closed as a 'precautionary measure' following assessments carried out today.
Around 1,200 children are affected by the decision, with plans underway for 'interim accommodation solutions' to be in place when students return after the upcoming mid-term break.
In a statement, the Department of Education said: "The Minister and the Department acknowledge the disruption that school closures have on families and parents, students and staff of the affected schools will be kept fully up to date with developments.
"The investigations at Tyrrelstown today, while not identifying any imminent danger, suggest that those two schools should close as a precautionary measure to allow for further detailed investigations at both schools."
The department adds that examinations of other schools built by Western Building Systems are ongoing.
Western Building Systems has said its school projects have always passed compliance inspections in the past, and that the company's integrity has never been questioned until now.
It's offered to meet with the Education Minister and his officials to help in any investigation.
A spokesperson said: “We are interested in getting to the bottom of this and that starts with establishing the facts.
"We are moving to intensify our engagement with the Department and other relevant bodies to better understand the issues which have now arisen and to work to resolve them."
'Significant structural issues'
Educate Together, meanwhile, said its school in Tyrrelstown cannot be occupied while remedial works are carried out following the discovery of 'significant structural issues'.
In a statement, the organisation added: "Educate Together will assist the DES in any way it can in finding and sourcing suitable temporary accommodation for the school community.
"Educate Together is anxious that structural assessments take place at all other affected schools as a matter of urgency to ascertain the facts in the case of each individual school."
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it appears to him that "corners were cut" when some schools were built during the Celtic Tiger.
"[That's] truly disgraceful in my view - prior to 2014-15, and particularly during the Celtic Tiger period, schools were built without proper oversight."
