Posted online: Jan 11th, 2008

Celbridge Cllr Katie Ridge had to prove her party credentials yesterday when the Kildare Post uncovered a case of mistaken identity.

The local councillor, whose contact details appear on the Fine Gael website, was unaware that her mobile number had been incorrectly displayed on her page on finegael.ie for some time.

When we rang the mobile number appearing under Cllr Ridge’s name on the site, we were directed to a man who didn’t appear to realise his number was the one appearing on the site.

When the Post told him we were trying to contact Cllr Ridge and his number was appearing under her name on the Fine Gael site,  he seemed a little put-out by the news. We double and trebled-checked the number with him, but there was no mistaking it –it was his mobile phone number which was very clearly listed on the website.

“Oh no, – I’m actually a Fianna Failer’’ the mystery man then revealed to us, adding: “So, that won’t do!”

The Post then alerted Cllr Ridge to the mix-up. “Well I can categorically tell you that I am a Fine Gaeler, there is no doubt about that!” she joked.

We then contacted Fine Gael’s head of internal communications, Vincent Gribbin, about the wrong number and he was more than happy to instantly correct it. Within minutes, Cllr Ridge’s correct phone number was being displayed. And her temporary FF ‘status’ was no more!