Update 9.10pm: Gardaí in Blanchardstown have condemned the reckless attack which took place outside a secondary school in the Corduff area.

At around 3.40pm this afternoon, a lone gunman appeared to target a man in his 20s who was waiting outside Riversdale Community College on Blanchardstown Road North.

No one was injured in the incident and the gunman fled the scene in the direction of Corduff Grove.

Gardaí arrested a number of people at the scene who were released following searches.

Searches were carried out this evening in the Corduff area with the assistance of the Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Units.

No further arrests have been made at this time.

Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The attack took place in broad daylight at a time when school was about to finish and students would have been exiting the building and parents were arriving to collect their children.

Superintendent Noel Carolan is appealing for anyone who was in the vicinity of the Community College between 3pm and 3.40pm to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station.

In particular, Gardaí are looking for anyone who may have dashcam footage from Blanchardstown Road North or Corduff Grove.

They are also appealing for any person who observed any unusual activity in the vicinity of the Community College in recent days to make contact at Blanchardstown Garda Station at 01-6669700 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Calls for greater support for gardaí following 'traumatic' shooting incident at Blanchardstown school

Update 7.30pm: Two men narrowly escaped injury this afternoon after a gunman fired shots outside a secondary school in Blanchardstown.

The gunman approached the two men at around 3.30pm and fled the scene after missing his target.

There are reports that the incident could be related to an ongoing feud in the area.

Gardaí conducting searches in Corduff following shooting incident this afternoon. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Responding to this afternoon's incident, local Fianna Fáil TD Jack Chambers said that it "marks a very alarming precedent".

"This latest incident will have proven traumatic for parents and students who were in the immediate vicinity, there is no doubt that innocent people felt frightened."

Deputy Chambers called for national resources to be deployed to provide back up for local Gardaí.

When gangland tensions heightened in the inner city in 2016, there was a very specialist Garda response to contain violence and protect the broader public.

“For such an incident to occur in a residential area within yards of a school in the middle of a weekday afternoon is not normal and should not be treated as a normal part of everyday life.”

Sinn Féin councillor for Mulhuddart Paul Donnelly urged anyone with information to speak to An Garda Síochána.

"It beggars belief that a person would put the lives of school children in danger like this," said Cllr Donnelly.

Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Two men escape uninjured after attempted shooting outside Blanchardstown school

Update 5.20pm: Two men have narrowly escaped injury after a shooting outside a secondary school in West Dublin.

It happened outside Riversdale Community College when the gunman approached the men just after 3.30pm this afternoon.

He missed his target and fled the scene.

Gardaí from Blanchardstown, who are at the scene, say their investigation is still live.

Gardaí have confirmed that they were alerted to a shooting incident in the Corduff area (Blanchardstown Road North) at approximately 3.40pm.

They said that no persons were injured during the incident.

According to RTÉ, gardaí believe that a man who was waiting to collect a student from the school was the intended target.

There are reports that the incident could be related to an ongoing feud in the area.