Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
Mr Durkan was speaking after Sinn Féin Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey told the Assembly on Monday that the project could not proceed without Executive funding.
He said that while the DUP had jeopardised a number of important projects by collapsing the Executive, Minister Hargey had failed to progress the scheme over the last two years.
SDLP councillor Brian Tierney had been pushing Minister Hargey for progress and recently arranged a meeting between Derry City and Strabane District Council and the Department for Communities (DfC).
Said the Foyle MLA: “The DUP’s self-interested decision to collapse the Assembly has undoubtedly put key legislation and initiatives at risk, but myself and SDLP colleagues have been campaigning for years to have this programme progressed and now right before the end of the current mandate we receive confirmation it won’t proceed.
“Clubs in Derry and right across the North need this money to improve their facilities and upgrade their grounds to a modern-day standard.
“Sinn Féin told us over five years ago that this funding was guaranteed and successive Communities Ministers have failed to deliver it, much to the disappointment of local teams and their supporters.
“It’s regrettable that the latest political crisis in the North is once again holding back progress, this funding fell by the wayside when the Assembly collapsed and didn’t return for three years, but we have had multiple opportunities to progress this scheme if the will existed since the Assembly’s return.
“I would urge Minister Hargey to leave no stone unturned to find a way forward before the end of the current Assembly term.”
Said Cllr Tierney: “This announcement from Minister Hargey will be bitterly disappointing for fans of Derry City who have been awaiting phase two of improvement works at the Brandywell Stadium.
“Institute FC had also been hoping it would help them in their pursuit of a new permanent home.
“Over the past few months I have renewed efforts to see progress on this scheme and during a meeting with DfC officials I stressed this importance of this scheme to clubs in our area and called on Minister Hargey to do everything she could to ensure progress before the end of the current mandate.
“The first phase of this work transformed the Brandywell and has resulted in a much-improved match day experience for fans and everyone who uses the council-owned facility.
“At a time of renewed optimism when the club is making huge strides on the pitch, it would have been welcome to see progress on this long-standing issue.
“It’s unacceptable that over five years on from guarantees around this funding that clubs and fans in Derry and across the North are still waiting for the modern stadiums they deserve.”
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