A Californian court has heard the Berkeley balcony collapse - which claimed the lives of six Irish students - wouldn't have happened if contractors hadn't cut corners to save on building costs.
As part of a multi-million dollar lawsuit the court has been told that contractors decided not to replace saturated wood in the balcony because it would have been "costly, difficult, embarrassing and inconvenient".
The Irish Independent also reports that it's claimed the management company decided not to have repairs done as it did not want to lose out on rental income.
The allegations are contained in a legal submission made on behalf of Niall Murray, a student who described the "unimaginable terror" he experienced as he plunged 40 feet onto a concrete footpath in June.
Six students, Eimear Walsh, Ashley Donohue, Olivia Burke, Niccolai Schuster, Lorcan Miller and Eoghan Culligan, died with the balcony gave way beneath them.
Their families are suing 35 defendants involved in the construction and management of the apartment building for wrongful death.
Seven other suits for personal injuries have been lodged by Niall Murray, Aoife Beary, Clodagh Cogley, Sean Fahey, Conor Flynn, Jack Halpin and Hannah Waters.
The cases are set to be combined and heard together in the New Year.
