A Garda chief superintendent in the Dublin Metropolitan Area and a superintendent based at Garda Headquarters have both applied for the post of RUC assistant chief constable, advertised last month.
The Police Authority for Northern Ireland confirmed that 11 applications had been received, including members of the RUC, Garda and British constabularies.
A spokeswoman said the competition application papers were confidential. However, according to senior Garda sources, the chief superintendent of a DMA division and a superintendent with an administrative position in Garda Headquarters have applied.
Short-listing will begin next month with interviews scheduled for March. One assistant chief constable will be appointed, but due to the number of senior RUC officers availing of severance packages, first proposed by the Patten report, a reserve appointment is likely.
The spokeswoman for the authority said she expected the appointments to be its last, as its term of office ends on March 31st to be replaced by the new Policing Board. However, with the SDLP refusing to accept the Bill in its current form, the establishment of the board hangs in the balance.
The Northern Ireland Office said last night the British government was "not planning for failure" and the extension of the Police Authority's term was not currently under consideration.
"The Government firmly hopes we will have a new police board ready to take over from the Police Authority on April 1st, 2001," said a spokeswoman.