TdC wants "maximum possible coverage" among local authorities

The president of the Court of Auditors (TdC) said this Wednesday that the institution wants to give “the maximum possible coverage” to local authorities and increase the number of audits to be carried out, adding that it wants, “in the coming years, to do more and better”.

"We are aware that we need to increase the number of audits and [...] seek to provide the maximum possible coverage of the local government," said Filipa Urbano Calvão at a hearing at the Budget, Finance and Public Administration Committee.

"What we want, in the coming years, is to do more and better , meeting the State's control needs, seeking to contribute to better public financial management, to a better State," said the head of the organization in her speech.

For the president of the TdC, there is the possibility of strengthening the articulation with the internal control system to ensure the greatest possible coverage.

"What we have done and will continue to do is select the set of municipalities to be audited based on impartial and objective risk criteria, which allow us to look for those in which there is a greater risk of financial infraction or poor public financial management," he explained.

The president of the TdC also expressed a desire to analyze the decentralization of powers and competences, both from the State to municipalities and from municipalities to parishes.

Filipa Urbano Calvão urged members of parliament to contribute to the Court of Auditors' strategy for the 2026-2028 period by highlighting the positive and negative aspects of its activities, raising two questions: how can the institution add value to public financial governance, and in which areas can the court focus its activities.

Regarding waste in the healthcare sector, he considered that it is a sector in which "it is normal to have some level of waste" given the uncertainty, but acknowledged that "more cautious management of resources is needed."

Throughout her speeches, Filipa Urbano Calvão acknowledged that there is some delay in issuing reports or pronouncements and that efforts are being made, as well as the use of new audit tools.

In this sense, he noted that the digital transition is a concern, not only because the court must "ensure technology that streamlines its action," but also because it must monitor the acquisition of public spending on these technological tools and their usefulness.

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