East Belfast Ulster Unionist Party MLA and Communities spokesperson, Andy Allen MBE, has called on the Communities Minister to open the sub-regional stadia programme for soccer without any further delay.

Mr Allen said:

“The sub-regional stadia programme was first endorsed by the Northern Ireland Executive in March 2011. However, nearly 11 years on not one penny has been delivered to any club under the programme.

“It is a damning indictment on the Executive that the promised sub-regional stadia programme has still not been delivered, with little indication of when it will open for applications. Since the return of the institutions in January 2020 the Department for Communities has been engaged in a ‘Refresh and Re-engagement’ exercise. Furthermore, the Minister stated the following to several Assembly questions:

“I am actively considering all the available evidence to ensure that the programme addresses all captured changes identified in the review exercise. When I am fully satisfied it addresses the current and future requirement for the sport I will present my recommendations to the Executive.”

“Many across the football fraternity have been left understandably frustrated with questions being asked as to why has it taken the Department so long to conduct the ‘refresh and re-engagement’ exercise.

“Did the Minister present her recommendations to Executive colleagues before the resignation of the First Minister?

“It is long past time for the Minister for Communities to deliver this long-awaited programme.

“If the current Minister for Communities fails to deliver on the programme in this mandate, then I am prepared to give a commitment that the Ulster Unionist Party will do everything possible to deliver the programme in the next Assembly mandate.”