Former Fianna Fáil minister Dr Michael Woods said today he had not made any representations to have pension laws changed to benefit him.
Dr Woods is understood to be the sole beneficiary of a change to the laws governing ministerial pensions, made in the Dáil last week. The change to the current legislation allows ministers who did not claim their pension entitlements within the required six-month period to receive back pay or to apply for it retrospectively.
It was contained in a special clause of the Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007.
The new law will allow Dr Woods, who has held several ministerial posts, receive up to €75,000 in back pay.
The former Dublin North East TD, who was eligible to claim his pension some five years ago, is understood to have applied only last year.
But in an interview with RTÉ television this evening, Dr Woods said: "What I didn't realise, it was an oversight on my part really, was that you had to re-apply if you like, but in writing, before the pension took over from the severance payments.
Asked if he had made any representations to have the law changed, he added: "I wouldn't do that, I have never done it and I would certainly never do it."
A Fianna Fail spokeswoman said Dr Woods would not be releasing any further statement on the matter.
Fine Gael's spokesman for older people Paul Connaughton asked this evening if Mr Cowen intended to allow pensioners extra time to claw-back unclaimed pension benefits.
"As it stands State Pensioners can only get their pensions backdated for a maximum of six months but, last week, the finance minister introduced legislation to allow one specific former Fianna Fáil Minister an extra five years to claim his," he said in a statement.
"Brian Cowen is clearly looking out for a former colleague and friend, all State pensioners now have the right to know whether he will look out for them too."