More than 500 people attended a solidarity rally in Dublin days after city centre riots erupted in the aftermath of a knife attack on children.

The rally, organised by Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) which represents more than 800,000 workers across the island of Ireland was to show people from migrant backgrounds that they are welcome in Ireland, according to ICTU general secretary Owen Reidy.

He said many migrant workers employed in Dublin’s hospitality industry “were too afraid to come in to work” on the day after the riots.

The riot began on Thursday evening, just hours after three children and a school care assistant were stabbed outside a primary school on Parnell Square.

The children were lining up after class at Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire when they were attacked by a man holding a knife.

Two girls aged five and six were stabbed, along with a six-year-old boy.

Their care assistant, a woman in her 30s, tried to protect the children but she was also stabbed and seriously wounded.

She remains in hospital along with the five-year-old girl, who was critically injured.

The boy was discharged from hospital on Friday while the six-year-old girl, who had head injuries, was discharged over the weekend.

The suspect, who is in his late 40s, is understood to have held Irish citizenship for about 20 years.

He was also taken to hospital after the attack.