Court of Accounts identifies failings in management of funds to People's Houses in Madeira
Report detects problems in control of public support. Seven million euros transferred to 43 associations in two years.
Court of Accounts identifies failings in management of funds to People's Houses in Madeira
A report from the Regional Section of Madeira of the Court of Accounts revealed significant deficiencies in the way the Regional Government manages and oversees the funds delivered to People's Houses in the archipelago.
Between 2022 and 2023, the 43 associations of this type received approximately seven million euros from the regional executive. Almost half of this amount was allocated to the Programme to Support the Guarantee of Social Stability, which benefits families with reduced incomes or in conditions of vulnerability.
For current expenses and social, economic and cultural development projects of the associations, 2.5 million euros were transferred, roughly a third of the total. Another 676,000 euros financed activities for the dissemination of culture and agricultural and rural traditions.
The Court of Accounts document identified shortcomings in the instruments for monitoring, control and physical and financial audit of the supported projects. Among the failings found were the absence of procedure manuals and work standards, non-compliance with deadlines for submission of financing requests and scant rigour in the analysis of the accounts presented.
Delays were also detected in the recovery of excess amounts paid by the Regional Government in 2022 and 2023, under the PROAGES programme. The sums to be recovered amounted to more than 256,000 euros for the first year and approximately 189,000 euros for the second, but the actions for this purpose only began in mid-2025.
The audit concluded that the documentary checks carried out by the regional directorates of Agriculture and Social Affairs did not prevent some associations from receiving, cumulatively, subsidies exceeding the expenses actually incurred.
In view of these results, the Court of Accounts recommends to the holders of the Agriculture and Inclusion portfolios to improve the internal control processes of their operational structures. It also suggests the simplification of the regulatory framework for support to associativism, with greater coordination between the different public administration services and data sharing, in order to prevent the duplication of supervisory entities.
The authorities should equally draw up internal standards that establish the essential mechanisms for monitoring and controlling the material and budgetary implementation of the support provided.
Source: Jornal da Madeira
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