The deadline has been extended for applications for the water conservation grant for a further two weeks.

Households must now apply by Thursday October 22nd.

The Environment Minister and Tánaiste says the extension is down to the high volume of calls and applications today and issues that arose concerning the postal delays earlier this week.

Minister for Environment Alan Kelly said recent days "have seen a very high number of applications for the Water Conservation Grant ... Therefore, I have agreed with my colleague, Tánaiste Joan Burton, to allow applications for an extra two weeks."

Tánaiste Joan Burton said: "My Department and I are making arrangements to allow online applications and applications by phone for an additional two weeks."

The Department of Environment says that by four pm on Thursday, October 8, close to 800,000 households had applied for the grant, while 395,500 have been paid the grant.