The doubling in the number of students taking German at Leaving Cert level has been welcomed by Ms Helen Keogh TD, the Progressive Democrats spokeswoman on education. Ms Keogh said that, as Germany was Ireland's second largest trading partner and Ireland's biggest source of tourism revenue in continental Europe, the increase was "very good news".. The number of students studying German increased from 10,000 in 1991/92 to 23,000 in 1994/95.