Cowen: Bank guarantee was 'best prospect' to secure banks

Former Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he personally proposed the state banking guarantee because it seemed the "best prospect" to secure the banks.

At the banking inquiry, he confirmed that the late Finance Minister Brian Lenihan had wanted to nationalise Anglo Irish Bank at the time instead of including it in the guarantee.

He said they had discussed the matter in his private office on the night of the guarantee, with Lenihan still supporting ...