Residents at an apartment complex in Co Meath have been warned to stay off their balconies due to safety concerns.

There are 26 homes in Riverwalk Court in Ratoath and every one of them was built in breach of fire safety regulations - according to a number of expert engineering reports.

There are concerns the buildings are literally falling down around their residents.

Newstalk Breakfast obtained copies of reports carried out by two separate independent experts - and both showed extensive breaches of building regulations.

This photo shows rotting timber structures and steel props holding up ceilings | Image: Kieran Cuddihy

These included fire safety regulations, but also issues around water ingress and damp.

These problems first arose for the residents in 2009. By 2011 they had engineering reports, and in early 2012 they put the builders, the insurance company and Meath County Council on notice.

But just last week, the county council stepped in to the breach.

Newstalk.com's Kieran Cuddihy went back to the estate - and gave this report to Newstalk Breakfast.