Parents 'sickened' by Dublin stabbings
Gardai at the scene of the stabbing incident on Parnell Square East in Dublin city centre.
The Dublin school where three young pupils were stabbed on Thursday held a meeting with parents and guardians on Monday to discuss ways to support children traumatised by the incident.
More than 50 people attended the 9am meeting at a Dublin hotel, which was organised by Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Parnell Street in Dublin’s north inner city.
Five people were injured during the knife attack, including three children. While two of the children have been discharged from hospital, a 5-year-old girl remains in critical condition.
The suspect, a man in his late 40s, as well creche worker Leanne Flynn, who used her body as a human shield to protect the children, are also being treated in hospital.
On Monday parents packed into a hotel to hear ways of how they can support their children in the aftermath of the attack on their school friends.
One parent, who did not want to be named, told the : “We were told about play therapy and art, and to let the kids say how they feel if that’s what they want. The kids are asking questions.
“We were also told to let them paint and draw it all out if that helps. Everyone is so sickened by the whole thing. I think people can’t fully wrap their heads around it yet”.
One father was deeply upset during the meeting and left in tears.
Another guardian said: “People are just very shocked, the kids are not really sure what is going on. It’s all about the riots, the riots, but what about the kids, and the creche worker and the parents?”.
The incident unfolded on Thursday at around lunchtime shortly after a man was seen acting irrationally near the school just off O’Connell Street.
He then produced a knife and stabbed three children, two girls, aged, 5 and 6, and a boy aged 5, while brave daycare worker Leanne Flynn was also critically injured during the incident.
One parent said: “Leanne brings the kids to the afterschool, and she came out and tried to protect the kids, she ended up critical in hospital, but she is getting better thank god. Everyone is just praying.”
Ms Flynn’s condition in the Mater hospital is now described as serious but stable while the 5-year-old children remains in a critical in hospital.
The other two children have been discharged to their care of their families, while the suspect remains in a Dublin hospital.
In a statement gardaí told the : “There are no updates at this time.”
Meanwhile a small vigil for the children and Ms Flynn took place outside Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Sunday night.
