Five more schools built by Western Building Systems require remedial work, bringing the total number of schools with structural issues to 23, the Department of Education has confirmed.

The number of schools that require protective works prior to reopening after the midterm break has risen to 17, while question marks remain over a further 13.

Plans to tell all parents affected by the schools safety crisis if the facility their child has serious fire and structural flaws have been delayed a "day or two" amid ongoing concerns over the true scale of the scandal.

Two Dublin schools have shut with immediate effect after problems were discovered during structural checks being carried out at 30 schools built by Western Building Systems.