What do Micheál Martin and Packie Bonner have in common? They're both twins.
New research shows they are not alone, with 1.6 million twins are born every year throughout the world.
More twins are being born than ever before with one in 40 children part of a pair.
On one road in Clontarf in north Dublin visited by RTÉ News there were not one, not two, not three - but four sets of twins.
Aine and Katie Nolan were in their double buggy, ploughing down the road beside them on matching motortrikes were three-year-olds Éatan and Árón Grogan.
Muireann and Donncha Murray, who turned five yesterday, are marshalling the others while eight-year-olds Lily Rose and Ava May Pedreschi scoot by.
Neighbours said there are two sets of older twins also living on the road and another pair on the way.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
While the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street has seen a slight decline in recent years in the number of twins it has delivered, Dr Cathy Allen explains that the decision to start families later is the main reason behind the rise in multiple births.
"Assisted reproduction would be the number one contribution to the increase in multiple pregnancy rates and then even with the naturally conceiving group, we do know that there is a higher risk of twins, and in women who even with natural conceptions who are having their, their family later in life," she said.
The Irish Multiple Birth Association has seen a rise in membership in recent years.
Chair Lorraine McCarthy, who is the mother of 11-year-old twins, said they elicit a unique response in people
"You can get all sorts of comments. 'Double Trouble', 'are they twins?', 'you have your hands full'. But then you also have really lovely positive comments like, 'double the love', 'aren't you blessed?' and so on.
"And one of the funniest things, people tend to feel that all twins must be identical and then even if you have a boy and a girl the will ask: 'are they identical?'. A boy and a girl can't be identical obviously," she said.
Her daughter, Isabelle Ralph, who identifies herself as the taller one, said there are some downsides to being a twin.
"The worst bit would probably be that people are expecting you to be the same, but just because we're twins doesn't mean we have to be the same," she said.
Her sister Sophie, who admits she has always been the smaller one, highlights the bright side.
"The best thing about being twins is always having someone to play with and always having someone to go to if you have any worries," she said.
Twins might be becoming more common - but some are one of a kind.
Ireland's most famous twins are arguably John and Edward Grimes - Jedward.
The former reality show contestants turned Eurovision entrants will celebrate their 30th birthday this year
"I think there's a lot of myths about twins. A lot of people think they're telepathic, they think there's an evil twin and a good twin but that is completely false. Yeah, we both have good intentions".
Jedward, who said they do not know who Packie Bonner is, were delighted to learn that the current Taoiseach is a member of their twin tribe.
"Sometimes people keep their twin on the DL [down low] but I feel like people should be like: I have a twin and express it, and be like proud of it. I think its good that Micheál Martin has a stunt double. Could you imagine Micheál Martin can just blame things on his twin!"
