A damning new report highlighting major fire safety concerns in a Newbridge housing estate has concluded that the houses have no resale value and will almost definitely have insurance cover withdrawn.

A report into fire safety on the Kildare housing estate where six homes were burnt to the ground in just 30 minutes has highlighted widespread fire safety concerns.

Michael Clifford poses questions after six houses in a boom-time estate were razed in a fire in 20 minutes despite standards stating a fire should take an hour to spread from each house.

Kildare County Council has refused to publish a report highlighting major fire concerns in a housing estate where six homes were destroyed by fire in late March.

More credit unions will be restructured or merged over the coming years with at least another 20 so far having failed basic minimum standards.

Around 100 credit unions are on a Central Bank watch list because of concerns over the level of their reserves and bad debts.

Permanent TSB Group chief executive Jeremy Masding has said it's "business as usual" at Newbridge Credit Union.

Newbridge Credit Union is to be bailed out at a cost of nearly €54m.

Permanent TSB could gain control of the troubled Newbridge Credit Union as early as this evening, once necessary approval is granted by the High Court.

The Newbridge Credit Union Action Group is describing as "unacceptable" a proposal for a takeover of the institution by Permanent TSB.

Members of Newbridge Credit Union in Co Kildare say plans to close the branch "will have a devastating impact" on small businesses.