An all-Ireland sex offenders' register, the same training courses for Garda and Police Service of Northern Ireland recruits, and an all-Ireland law commission to promote harmonisation of laws between north and south, are among the proposals.

The SDLP is calling for hospitals on both sides of the border to pool resources to buy equipment which would otherwise be unaffordable in either jurisdiction.

The party says cross-border cooperation is being hindered by the suspension of the North's political institutions and it's now time to take action.

It's proposing an all-Ireland criminal assets bureau to tackle paramilitary and other crime more effectively, and an all-Ireland public safety body to reduce the number of accidents and deaths on border roads.

The SDLP is increasingly stressing its pro-Irish unity policies. SDLP Assembly member, Sean Farren, who cowrote the document, said the current scale of north-south co-operation was only a fraction of its potential.

"The SDLP has come up with real, practical ways to increase cooperation to improve life for all on this island, " he said. "Often, there is too much theoretical nationalism so we have concentrated on bringing benefits to the ordinary person on the street.

"It's not about getting one over on unionists. If something won't work, we haven't suggested it. But in terms of the economy, education, healthcare, and policing and justice, there are huge opportunities to develop joint services in a new and exciting way."

Farren said allowing police and justice personnel to work on both sides of the border would encourage "the sharing of good practice" and help combat the under-representation of Catholics in the North's criminal justice system.

The SDLP says the Criminal Assets Bureau and the North's Assets Recovery Agency would be more successful with joint teams of officers working on investigations. It's also suggesting an all-Ireland intelligence agency to combat paramilitaries.

An all-Ireland sex offenders' register was urgently needed following several recent cases where sex offenders had evaded surveillance after crossing the border, Farren said.

The SDLP is suggesting a range of measures to make living in one jurisdiction and working or running a business in the other more possible.

These include removing tax barriers imposed on crossborder workers, reducing cross-border banking and insurance charges, and an integrated postal service.

The popular Belfast-Dublin Enterprise train service needed improving to make commuting between the two cities easier. The SDLP also wants the Belfast-Derry train route extended to Donegal, and is calling for an all-Ireland free travel scheme for pensioners and the disabled.