A further 17 schools will undergo emergency works in the coming weeks to make them safe for staff and students.

It comes after engineers carried out “detailed investigations” into the school structures over the summer holidays.

Temporary measures, including scaffolding and safety fencing are being put in place at the schools to make them safe for the coming year – with permanent repairs to get underway over the summer holidays in 2020 and 2021.

The 17 schools were cleared for use with no precautionary measures last October and November.

They are located in Dublin, Meath, Laois, Donegal, Wexford, Wicklow, Galway, Kildare and Westmeath.

In total, issues have been identified at 40 schools built by Western Building Systems on behalf of the Department of Education.

Corrective repairs have been underway at 22 schools throughout the summer holidays and the projects are complete at 14.

Fire safety works have been carried out at the other eight, with structural repairs set to take place in the coming months.

A final decision on a solution for Ardgillan Community College will be taken in September.

The Minister for Education Joe McHugh said school principals and patrons are being kept informed on the progress of the repairs.

“Safety has always been at the heart of our response to the structural deficiencies that were identified in these schools,” he said.

“It will continue to be.”

He said any permanent or temporary works recommended by engineers are being carried out and good progress is being made.