The former Tanaiste and leader of the Labour Party, Mr Dick Spring, is understood to be among those being considered for the position of leader of the international civil team in Kosovo.
The UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, has named the UN Under-secretary, Gen Sergio de Mello, as provisional leader of the international civil team. He said in a letter to the UN Security Council that Gen de Mello will head the civil presence until the team's official leader is decided.
UN sources said Mr Annan plans to pick the leader from a non-NATO country and mentioned Mr Spring and the former Algerian foreign minister, Mr Lakhdar Brahimi, as possible candidates.
The United States had expressed the hope that an American would assume the post, as Britain's Lieut-Gen Michael Jackson heads Kfor.
Gen de Mello, from Brazil, is under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and also emergency relief co-ordinator at the UN Secretariat.