Trade unions will hold a vigil in Dublin city centre this afternoon in solidarity with the woman and children injured in Thursday’s stabbing attack and workers affected by the riots.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) gathering will take place at 1pm at the GPO on O’Connell Street, where much of last week’s violence and disorder was centred.

ICTU is encouraging employers to let staff attend the vigil and “clearly denounce violence and riotous behaviour in a solemn and respectful way”.

General Secretary Owen Reidy said the gathering was an opportunity for workers to “to make sure that we think of those three young children or that care worker who were viciously attacked last week as well”.

“We also express our solidarity with the school concerned and all its staff, pupils and families,” he said.

“We pay tribute to our wonderful Garda, firefighters, ambulance personnel, local authority workers and our transport workers in how they have responded."

Workers in Dublin

The gathering, according to Mr Reidy, will also offer solidarity to people who do not feel safe in the wake of last week’s “unacceptable and outrageous thuggery”. 

“It’s an opportunity for us to say that workers in Dublin, whether they’re from Ireland or the four corners of the globe, that they are welcomed and they are part of our community,” he said. 

A woman and three young children were stabbed outside a school on Parnell Square East on Thursday, November 23rd. 

Two of the children have been released from hospital, while the woman and a young girl remain in serious condition. 

Violence broke out in Dublin’s city centre following the knife attack, with major damage to several shops and a bus and Luas tram set on fire. 

There was heavy policing in the city centre over the weekend in anticipation of further unrest. 

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said 48 people have been arrested since Thursday night and announced an additional €4.4 million for the purchase of 95 extra Garda cars and vans by the end of this year.