Anglo Irish Bank asked to be taken over by Bank of Ireland on the same day the Government met to decide on the introduction of the blanket guarantee for financial institutions this month two years ago.
The revelation is contained in a programme called Freefall which will be aired on RTÉ1 television tonight.
Anglo's future to be discussed in Brussels
On September 29 2008. shares in Irish banks were falling rapidly. Anglo Irish Bank faced the prospect of insolvency and being unable to open for the business the next day.
Its then chairman Sean FitzPatrick and chief executive David Drumm approached Bank of Ireland's then governor Richard Burrows and CEO Brian Goggin.
In a meeting at Bank of Ireland, Mr FitzPatrick and Mr Drumm said Anglo was facing insolvency, and they asked Bank of Ireland to take over Anglo.
Their request was turned down, but the overture prompted Bank of Ireland to contact AIB. Both banks sought a meeting with Government, which was in the midst of crisis meetings on the introduction of a guarantee. Both banks then met Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan and outlined their concerns about Anglo.
