Gardaí also said they are aware of “online misinformation which is becoming widely circulated in relation to this incident”.

“We appeal to all members of the public to independently verify any information on social media and / or messaging app,” gardaí said in a post on X.

November

Three children were hospitalised after a multiple stabbing at the Coláiste Mhuire school last November. One young victim was critically injured. Their carer Leanne Flynn was also injured and has since been discharged from hospital.

The young girl who was critically injured’s mother said recently she is “thriving in her therapies” six months after the incident.

A man in his 50s, Riad Bouchaker, has been charged in relation to the attack.

Dáil statements

Raising today’s incident in the Dáil this afternoon, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said people had been “left frightened and traumatised” by what had happened.

“We have circumstances where very small children are now very, very afraid again and their parents too and that is not acceptable,” she said.

McDonald said that people in the north inner city were “sick and tired” of anti-social behaviour, the lack of services, and of feeling threatened in their communities.

Harris said he had been briefed on the incident.

“I want to thank them for their swift and effective response to this incident, but I’m also very sure that people who are in that area, particularly children who witnessed this, would be very distressed,” he said.

“Thankfully, nobody came to physical harm, which I know we all welcome.

But I understand An Garda Síochána have maintained ongoing patrols in the area, including both opening and closing times for educational facilities, and of course I call on any witnesses or people with dash cam footage to come forward to the gardaí but there has been an arrest made. 

Harris said a city centre taskforce had been established and was due to report back in July.