Drumm apologises for ‘inappropriate language’ on Anglo tapes

Former Anglo chief executive David Drumm has apologised for what he termed “inappropriate language” in the bank’s internal recordings that have caused outrage here and overseas.

However, he also claimed in a weekend interview that the Anglo Irish Bank tapes published over the past week do not paint the full picture of how the last government decided on the Sept 2008 blanket bank guarantee. “I accept that the tone and language used in the tapes is inappropriate and I fully understand why the excerpts published have offended many people.”

The content was described as contemptible by German chancellor Angela Merkel, saying it was typical of banker greed internationally.