Examiner Neil Hughes, of accounting firm Hughes Blake, said several expressions of interest were received in advance of last Friday's deadline and that he remained hopeful of securing the company's future as a going concern.

Cooke's previous business venture, catering firm Cooke's Events, went into liquidation three years ago with debts of 500,000.

Cookes Bakery, a gourmet bread maker ran into cash flow difficulties earlier this year.

Hughes was appointed as interim examiner on 17 February and was subsequently confirmed by the High Court. Cooke blamed the bakery's problems in part on alleged disruption to the company's business, located on Dublin's East Wall road, from activity at a nearby building site.