One of Ireland's foremost entrepreneurs in Denis O'Brien, who has amassed his fortune from telecommunications and media enterprises, is to part-fund Trapattoni's wages for the next two years in a no-strings-attached deal.

It is expected O'Brien will fork out around £1.5million for Trapattoni and his assistant - anticipated to be former Italy defender Claudio Gentile - after becoming increasingly frustrated with Ireland's lack of progress in recent years.

Trapattoni will now take up his post on May 1 after seeing out the Austrian league season with Red Bull Salzburg, with whom he hopes to clinch back-to-back championships prior to his departure.

Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney ton Wednesday insisted the cash would have been made available for Trapattoni in any case.

But O'Brien's offer in November came at a troubled time for both Delaney and the FAI in the wake of Steve Staunton's sacking and Ireland's failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals, and was too good an opportunity to resist.

Delaney explained: "Following Stephen's departure, the board of management decided no stone should be left unturned in their efforts to secure the best possible person for the position.

"At that time an Ireland supporter contacted the Association and indicated he was very supportive of what we were trying to do as an organisation.

"He said he was prepared to sponsor the new manager's salary and ensure money was not an insurmountable obstacle to getting our man.

"He stressed he did not want to influence any decision, nor that he wanted anything such as tickets or sponsorship opportunities in return.

"He continually stated the reason for his offer was to make it easier for the FAI to put together the type of package needed to attract a top-quality manager.

"His offer of financial assistance came at a difficult period back then as Stephen had just gone and there was a lot of negativity around.

"But it was a pivotal moment in the recruitment process and enabled us to raise the bar even higher than we had intended.

"When somebody comes forward with an unconditional gesture of that nature, you would be mad not to take it, and he deserves every credit for it.

"It is one that is not linked to anything of any kind. I can tell you he is getting nothing, and I have that in writing. It does not compromise the Association in any regard.

"I just hope there are many more people like him to help the Association.

"But I am certain if the guys had come back and said to me that Giovanni Trapattoni is our recommendation, we would have done a deal for him anyway given our own financial strengths.

"But it means his money allows us to put more finances into the grassroots of football here in Ireland."

O'Brien has revealed he came up with the idea after talking to former Formula One boss Eddie Jordan about the need for a top-class manager.

Explaining his generosity, O'Brien said: "I'm a great believer if you hire the right people you get the right results.

"But I think all the credit should go to John Delaney and the committee, and I think the FAI.

"The criticism they have received over the last three months was very, very hard, but they stuck to their guns and now they've the right man."

Don Givens, who headed the three-man recruitment panel, concedes when Trapattoni's name first materialised, he felt it was "a pipe-dream" at the time to bid to recruit the 68-year-old Italian.

The panel, which included Ray Houghton and Don Howe, had already interviewed a number of high-profile candidates.

But once they spoke to Trapattoni, it quickly became apparent he was the man they wanted, so ending a 112-day wait for Staunton's successor.

"He picked us up at the airport in Salzburg on Sunday and took us to his home," remarked Givens.

"We had a positive, enjoyable two-hour meeting. He was very impressive. Talking two hours football with that man was exceptional.

"We then returned to our hotel, had a half-hour meeting, and at that time we knew he was our man, and he is an outstanding man."

Trapattoni's first match in charge will be a friendly against Serbia on May 24 at Dublin'sCroke Park.

However, there is talk of a second friendly or a training camp around that time in an effort to get to know the players.