Albuquerque says the pace of construction in Madeira “proves very well”

O president of the Government of Madeira (PSD/CDS-PP) today reaffirmed that the solution to the housing crisis is “making houses” and stressed that the pace of construction in the region “is moving very well”.

“ It is important to say that the housing that we are already building outside the framework of the PRR [Recovery and Resilience Plan] takes some time. That is, we need to plan, approve the projects, have available land, build and then deliver,” Miguel Albuquerque said, explaining that about 250 fires are already guaranteed under the region’s budget in 2027.

Miguel Albuquerque, also a regional leader of the PSD, spoke on the margins of the inauguration of the new Center for Innovation and Digital Skills, in Funchal, an institution dedicated to the training and training of public administration workers in digital skills, with emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (IA).

“The pace of construction [of housing] in Madeira is progressing very well,” he said, stressing that the proposal for the Autonomous Region’s budget for 2027 includes more funds for the sector, especially in terms of public construction and support for cooperatives.

Regional Secretary of Finance, Duarte Freitas, who was also present at the inauguration of the Center for Innovation and Digital Skills, reiterated that the proposal for 2027 puts “a special focus on housing and social areas”.

The governor also said that the Budget for 2027 will be higher than this year, considering that the amounts available to the region for refinancing the debt and the transfers provided for in the State Budget are higher.

Duarte Freitas did not point out specific figures, but the leader of the PSD parliamentary group at the Legislative Assembly, Jaime Filipe Ramos, said, on Friday, after a hearing with the regional secretary, that the budget proposal for 2027 provides another EUR 100 million compared to this year, which is EUR 2,329 million.

The Regional Government intends to deliver the document to the parliament in mid-November, and the discussion should be scheduled for the second half of December.

At the inauguration of the Digital Skills and Innovation Center, a project of three million euros, funded by the PRR, Miguel Albuquerque announced that the executive will introduce AI training in all secondary schools in Madeira.

“ We will move from the pilot phase to the extension of AI training in all secondary schools in the region, including private schools,” he said, reinforcing: “We cannot lose leadership in this matter.”