The North's Executive is exploring the use of public-private partnerships to help fund the provision of essential services.
The Finance Minister, Mr Sean Farren, said that without action there would be continuing erosion of the public infrastructure.
Mr Farren said the consultation exercise represented "a major opportunity to accelerate investment in our essential infrastructure and hence meet some of the most pressing needs and opportunities for our public services".
It was widely accepted that the public infrastructure had steadily deteriorated and that for decades investment had fallen well short of what was required to meet the community's needs, he said.
"We now have the opportunity to consider how best to address the infrastructure deficit, with a variety of means at our disposal.
"The key question we need to consider carefully is what form of finance we can and should use and what place public private partnerships should have in our strategy to address the deficit," the Minister said.
A working group set up last year included members of the public and private sectors, the voluntary sector and the trade unions.
It concluded there were "significant possibilities" for PPPs in the infrastructure sector with the design-build-finance-operate model having the greatest potential.
It calculated that if the current investment deficit was addressed, there was the potential to create 7,400 jobs over a 10-year period in the construction industry.
Meanwhile, the Assembly yesterday moved closer to outlawing fur farming in the North.
It gave unanimous support to the development during the second reading of the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill.
The Agriculture Minister, Ms Brid Rodgers, said it was an issue of public morality.
"We believe fur farming should be banned because it is not consistent with the proper value and respect for animal life," said Ms Rodgers.
There was no known fur farming in the North, but the legislation was needed to prevent such businesses relocating to Northern Ireland when similar bans were introduced in England, Wales and Scotland in January.
A DUP Assembly member, Mr Jim Wells, said he fully supported the Bill. "My wife will never wear a fur coat, and no one in a fur coat will ever be welcome in my home," he said.
His party colleague, Mr Ian Paisley jnr, said if the Executive banned fur production, it should be consistent and ban fur sales as well.