Communities Minister Hargey meets with NIFL and IFA to discuss stadia funding programme
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The Oval had been set to receive a redevelopment budget of £10m from the Executive
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has met with the Northern Ireland Football League and the Irish FA to discuss the sub-regional stadiums funding plan.
The minister said earlier this week the funding has not been shelved and her department's proposal is "ready to go".
The delay has been widely criticised in the local football community.
Ms Hargey said she will work with representatives of the IFA and NIFL to "progress this project to the next stage".
"I welcomed the opportunity to reaffirm my commitment and intention to deliver this much needed scheme which will benefit football at all levels," said the minister.
"Today I have met with representatives of IFA and NIFL and together we will work to progress this project to the next stage."
"It was a really good and productive meeting. It gave me the opportunity to restate - there's been a lot of misinformation over the last week and I addressed - that the money for the sub regional stadia is committed, the money is there on the table, it has been ring-fenced.
Deirdre Hargey says she is committed to delivering the sub-regional stadiums funding plan
"This programme is a priority, it's an Executive priority. Both organisations were happy just to hear that again from myself. We're all committed to working together to make that we can get this programme progressed within this mandate.
"To that effect, I am going to be communicating with other ministers who are still in post to look at what ways we can find to get over the hurdles of having no Executive."
"I will be writing to the other ministers to see what way we can take that forward, The good thing is we're working together on that, there is a momentum to get the stadia done. It has been long overdue and I'm committed as minister that I want to see this move forward."
The Executive committed £36m to the development of local football stadiums in Northern Ireland in 2015.
However, the minister said that the programme could not progress without Executive sign-off.
The Executive collapsed earlier in February when Paul Givan resigned as first minister.
Individual ministers remain in place but can only make decisions that are not deemed "significant or controversial".
After meeting with Ms Hargey on Thursday, NIFL chief executive Gerard Lawlor said he welcomed the minister's "response to our concerns" and that an "increase on the £36m is required and is being sought".
NIFL chairman Gerard Lawlor is hopeful that the funding programme will go ahead
He said: "We held an open and frank discussion and we received assurances: the programme will proceed as planned, acknowledgment that an increase on the £36m is required and is being sought, and the programme remains a flagship project for the Executive.
"Communication is key in the delivery of this programme going forward and I hope to see it delivered in a timely manner."
Irish FA president Conrad Kirkwood added: "We were pleased to hear the minister clarify the remarks she made earlier this week and that sub regional funding for football stadia in Northern Ireland would still be made available.
"We know football improves people's lives. We also know that, in Northern Ireland, it is in need of investment which is long overdue.
"Our job now is to work in collaboration with the minister, and all football stakeholders from senior clubs at NIFL to the grassroots, to ensure this promise is delivered on."
A number of Premiership managers had voiced their disappointment at the latest delay in funding with Coleraine boss Oran Kearney describing it as "sickening and embarrassing".
Earlier on Thursday, it emerged that NIFL clubs are set to meet on Monday to discuss the delay of the funding.
The clubs hope the Windsor Park meeting will result in a united voice against any further delay in releasing funding.