A five-year-old girl remains in a critical condition in hospital following an attack outside a school in Parnell Square in Dublin yesterday afternoon.

Two other children and a carer for the children also sustained injuries in the stabbing incident.

A six-year-old girl is being treated for head injuries and is due to undergo surgery while a five-year-old boy who suffered minor physical injuries has been discharged from hospital.

The children's carer remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The suspect for the attack was wounded and remains under guard in hospital.

At around 1.30pm yesterday, a group of young children were lining up outside a school on Parnell Square East.

A man arrived and began attacking the children with a knife.

Gardaí at the scene in Dublin city centre yesterday afternoon
Gardaí at the scene in Dublin city centre yesterday afternoon

The five-year-old girl was stabbed and seriously injured. She underwent emergency treatment.

The two other children were also attacked.

The woman, who worked at the school and cared for the children, intervened and was also stabbed and seriously injured.

A Deliveroo rider has described how he intervened and hit the man with his helmet. A number of other people also intervened and the man was restrained at the scene until gardaí and the emergency services arrived.

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Medical staff rushed from the nearby Rotunda Hospital to help.

Gardaí say they are following a "definite line of enquiry" and are not looking for anyone else at present.

Following the incident, widespread unrest spread across the area of Dublin city centre.

Dept of Education psychology team offering support to school community

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Minister for Education Norma Foley said the Department of Education's psychology team is in Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire following yesterday's attack offering support to the children, staff and school community.

"We are shocked beyond measure. That such an incident could unfold in Parnell Square and our NEPS teams, the National Education and Psychological Service teams, are on the ground in the school. They were there throughout yesterday.

"They will be available to the school again today and they will consistently work with the school staff to support the school community."

A man attacked a group of children outside a school on Parnell Square yesterday afternoon
A man attacked the group of children outside a school on Parnell Square yesterday afternoon

On the riots on the streets of Dublin last night, Ms Foley said those actions should be balanced "with the initial reaction" to the stabbing and how passers-by and staff tried to protect the children and "to do the right thing".

"What we saw last night unfold across Dublin were the actions of the few not the actions of many, and I think we should see it for what it is.

"They were the actions of a violent few who created chaos, who upended the city, but they are not reflective of the majority.

"They are not reflective of society, and they do not reflect the actions that were taken by instinct, by all those who were in Parnell Square yesterday," she said.