The Leader's party has been in government for six years.

It has been six years and the housing crisis is worse.

Please, Senator.

Homelessness is worse than it ever was.

When the Senator's party was in government I did not hear her giving out about them as a city or a county councillor-----

The Government had six years in government.

Senator Murnane-O'Connor, the Leader is responding.

There are people today who are either homeless or on a housing list because of the policies her party pursued. It ill-behoves the Senator to come into this House-----

The Leader's party has been in government six years-----

How many houses has the Government built?

I do not want barracking across the Chamber.

-----and criticise the Minister, Deputy Coveney.

-----and it made a commitment.

You are like the fellow who always cries wolf. There will come a time when no one will listen to you.

You and your party are the architects of this cycle.

Not at all.

Leader, speak through the Chair. Senator Murnane O'Connor, you are out of order.

Every week we hear the recession is over. We are in the thick of recession.

You are not allowed to come in when the Leader is responding.

We have to have facts.

You can raise that tomorrow on the Order of Business when you get a chance.

I will indeed.

Sorry, Leader. Please continue without barracking.

I am not barracking anybody but the facts-----

Do not encourage people across the Chamber to interject.

Rebuilding Ireland is eight months old and the Minister and the Minister of State have announced an action plan which is being funded by the Government. I think I read some of the Senator's comments last week welcoming the housing funding of €226 million and if she did not, she should do so because it is good news. We will see the delivery of new homes and the construction of social housing across our country. Last month I attended three such projects in my city and county of Cork.

The important point is that Housing Activity reports that commencement notices in the 12 months to January are up 44% year on year. Completions to January 2017 are up 18% and planning permissions are up by 20% for 2016.

Not in rural areas.

In addition, the growing number of people in employment, not just in the construction sector but across our country and in the regions, indicate that there is confidence and buoyancy in the housing sector. We must now have a joined-up approach involving local authorities, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government so that we can see infrastructure in the realm of public, social and private housing being put in place. Under the local authority housing fund, 34 sites have been identified and funded. They have the potential to deliver 23,000 housing units by 2021.

I agree with Senator Ardagh on the issue of affordability. We must ensure that people can afford to buy and get on the property ladder. That is the reason local authorities are being specifically asked to focus on the area of affordability. If we take Dublin as an example, the four council areas will deliver 3,000 homes. The Government is spending €5.3 billion-----

It is all about the cities. The Government is forgetting rural Ireland.

Senator, please.

I am sorry.

I know the Senator does not want to hear good news.

I welcome it but the Leader is forgetting rural Ireland.

I know it is in her DNA not to hear good news-----

I welcome good news.

-----but she might just listen to the good news and wave the flag of joy.

Can we be calm about it, please?

I am listening.

We are talking about €5.3 billion-----

I am listening, and it is all in the Dublin area.

-----to build 47,000 new houses. That is being delivered by this Government.

I attend the housing meetings every week. I know what is happening.

We should not forget that we had a recession, and I repeat for Senator Murnane O'Connor and Senator Ardagh that the recession meant no banking and no construction sector. We could not do what the Senator wants to do - wave a wand and away we go. We had to build it up.

The Leader is taking liberties at this stage.

We are delivering for the people.

Leader, please.

In the general election the Leader's party said the recession was over.

Leader, I think we should move on.

We are delivering for the people. The problem is-----

-----that Members opposite like to dwell on fake news and alternative facts.

The Leader cannot blame Fianna Fáil forever. His party had six years in government.

We will have no fake news here.

We made mistakes but his party promised the same.

The Leader to continue without interruption, please.

I agree with Senator Ardagh on the need for reform of our prison service, in particular, the infrastructure in Mountjoy.

I have had the pleasure of visiting the new Cork Prison and it is a fantastic facility.