A draft cross-Border economic development strategy that includes the creation of a major Dundalk-Newry "twin city" urban centre is to be launched by the summer.
Integrated health and education services along the Border region will be part of the plan.
The framework, which is being developed by the Department of Regional Development in Northern Ireland and the Department of the Environment in the Republic, will propose a joint development strategy between Limavady, Strabane, Derry and Donegal councils, with similar initiatives in the central Border area.
While both governments have already announced significant investment in physical infrastructure such as fibre optic communications networks, improved cross-Border roads, Derry airport and the Dublin-to-Belfast railway line, the new framework will propose collaboration in services from industrial development and tourism agencies to health services such as cancer screening.
Speaking at the annual conference of the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) in Armagh yesterday, the chief executive of the Belfast-based Strategic Investment Board, David Gavaghan, said there was "absolutely no shortage of money" for all that framework could recommend.
He said very significant public funding was available but this could be expanded five to one by instruments such as public-private partnerships.
Mr Gavaghan said in time he hoped to see the leverage rise to £20 per pound of public sector funding, but he again stressed there was "no shortage of funding, despite the credit crunch, for what we want to do".
Dermot Nolan, a principal officer with the National Development Plan secretariat of the Department of Finance, said areas where the public sector could integrate services included spatial planning, trade and tourism, environmental measures, regional cancer services and the infrastructural projects.
In relation to the proposed twin city, Mr Nolan said the urban centre would have access to an all-Ireland market while being located "in the centre of the most dynamic economic corridor on the island".
Declan Meally of Sustainable Energy Ireland and head of planning project Dundalk 2020, said the cross-Border metropolis was to be developed as an "exemplar for both jurisdictions with a district heating system fuelled by wood pellet, with the area's second major wind turbine providing up to 20 per cent of electricity needs.
The conference was also told of case studies undertaken by ICLRD on integration across the entire Border region. The centre has also prepared a position paper claiming there is " a strong case for joint hospital planning in the region".
Caroline Creamer, of the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis at NUI Maynooth, told the conference significant synergies were available in the integration of services such as fire brigade and ambulance, libraries, schools and hospitals once an integrated strategy was in place.
The North's Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy, said a draft framework was being prepared which would link into the regional development in the North and the National Spatial Strategy in the South.