Question: What year was the first year of the Republic of Ireland 's participation in the UEFA Euro and the last year of a communist country 's participation ?

text: UEFA Euro 2012
Qualification -- Qualified teams
The following sixteen teams qualified for the finals : [ 18 ]
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2012 or simply Euro 2012, was the 14th European Championship for men's national football teams organised by UEFA. The final tournament, held between 8 June and 1 July 2012, was co-hosted for the first time by Poland and Ukraine, and was won by Spain, who beat Italy 4-0 in the final at the Olympic Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine. Poland and Ukraine's bid was chosen by UEFA's Executive Committee on 18 April 2007. The two host teams qualified automatically while the remaining 14 finalists were decided through a qualifying competition, featuring 51 teams, from August 2010 to November 2011. This was the last European Championship to employ the 16-team finals format in use since 1996; from Euro 2016 onward, it was expanded to 24 finalists. Euro 2012 was played at eight venues, four in each host country. Five new stadiums were built for the tournament, and the hosts invested heavily in improving infrastructure such as railways and roads at UEFA's request. Euro 2012 set attendance records for the 16-team format, for the highest aggregate attendance (1,440,896) and average per game (46,481). Spain became the first team to win two consecutive European Championships, and also three straight major tournaments (Euro 2008, 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012). Spain had already gained entry to the 2013 Confederations Cup by winning the World Cup, so runners-up Italy qualified instead. As at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, both 2012 host nations were eliminated in the group stage.
Team Qualified as Qualified on Previous appearances in tournament
Poland Co-host 18 April 2007 1 ( 2008 )
Ukraine Co-host 18 April 2007 0 ( debut )
Germany Group A winner 2 September 2011 10 ( 1972 , 1976 , 1980 , 1984 , 1988 , 1992 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
Italy Group C winner 6 September 2011 7 ( 1968 , 1980 , 1988 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
Netherlands Group E winner 6 September 2011 8 ( 1976 , 1980 , 1988 , 1992 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
Spain Group I winner 6 September 2011 8 ( 1964 , 1980 , 1984 , 1988 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
England Group G winner 7 October 2011 7 ( 1968 , 1980 , 1988 , 1992 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 )
Russia Group B winner 11 October 2011 9 ( 1960 , 1964 , 1968 , 1972 , 1988 , 1992 , 1996 , 2004 , 2008 )
France Group D winner 11 October 2011 7 ( 1960 , 1984 , 1992 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
Greece Group F winner 11 October 2011 3 ( 1980 , 2004 , 2008 )
Denmark Group H winner 11 October 2011 7 ( 1964 , 1984 , 1988 , 1992 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 )
Sweden Best runner-up 11 October 2011 4 ( 1992 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
Croatia Play-off winner 15 November 2011 3 ( 1996 , 2004 , 2008 )
Czech Republic Play-off winner 15 November 2011 7 ( 1960 , 1976 , 1980 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
Portugal Play-off winner 15 November 2011 5 ( 1984 , 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 )
Republic of Ireland Play-off winner 15 November 2011 1 ( 1988 )