Government launches second audit over school fire safety concerns

The Government has launched a second investigation into serious fire safety concerns in Celtic Tiger-era schools amid growing fears that the scale of the crisis has been deliberately “suppressed”.

Education Minister Richard Bruton confirmed the move as he said his department is continuing to “consult with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office” over what, if any, legal action it may take against builders behind the sites.

In a statement to the Dáil’s education committee yesterday, Mr Bruton said all of the 37 schools built by Western Building Systems, based in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, since 2003 will be examined in the next six months.