Members of the 30th Dáil and Ruairi Quinn (Lab). Following a vote, John O'Donoghue was elected to this position. The position of Taoiseach was contested by Bertie Ahern (FF) and Enda Kenny (FG). Following a vote Bertie Ahern was elected to this position, making it his third consecutive term in office. On 7 May 2008, Brian Cowen was elected Taoiseach in place of Ahern, who had resigned. Séamus Kirk was elected Ceann Comhairle on 13 October 2009 following the resignation of O'Donoghue. Government coalition parties are denoted by "●". This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 30th Dáil from January 2011, shortly
Euroscepticism in the Republic of Ireland does not advocate withdrawal from the Union. Ireland pursued an isolationist policy from the 1920s to the 1950s, and in the mid-1950s, then opposition leader and former Taoiseach Éamon de Valera stated an opposition to the formation of a European parliament and European federalism, noting that Ireland ""did not strive to get out of that British domination [...] to get into a worse [position]"". Membership of the EEC was however sought by successive Irish governments, and Ireland acceded to the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973. This followed a referendum with a near record turnout of 71% (the highest turnout