Young girl stabbed on Parnell Square almost two years ago making 'great progress'

Sarah Slater

The mother of a little girl who was seriously injured in a multiple stabbing incident outside a primary school on Parnell Square almost two years ago has said her daughter is making “great progress” in her daily life.

The stabbing occurred outside Coláiste Mhuire national school in Dublin 1 on November 23rd, 2023, in which several others were injured.

Aged five at the time of the attack, the girl was critically injured and spent the majority of last year in Temple Street Children’s Hospital before being released from medical care for a year.

The family have continued to share updates on a GoFundMe page, set up following the incident which has raised almost €140,000.

Recently celebrating her seventh birthday her mother explained that “a lot has happened” over the last several months.

“This birthday was special because we got to spend it at home with family and friends, no personal protection equipment in sight, and lots of cake tasting,” she revealed.

“She has gotten much better at swallowing, and she has since been able to eat a few spoons of her dad's mash potato, some mash bananas, strawberries, and scrambled eggs. It doesn't make a meal, but the hope is to get there in the next few months.”

Her mother added that she has also become much better at focusing her attention when directed which means, “if we ask her to look somewhere, she does it almost immediately.”

The girl has also been making "lots of new sounds, and it is much clearer to see when she mouths words and phrases like 'I want', 'I don't know', ‘yes, yeah, no’”.

The seven-year-old has taken a break from assisted walking to strengthen her hips through squats and standing for longer.

“It all sounds slow, but it is great progress. We are coming to the two-year anniversary of the attack, and we are more hopeful, for sure. She is a trooper and has a strong mind,” her mother continued.

Riad Bouchaker (50) is currently before the courts charged with three counts of attempted murder, one of producing and possessing a kitchen knife, three counts of assault causing harm and one of assault causing serious harm.