Notebook failed 6 months after purchase - entitled to refund or just repair?

I bought an Acer Notebook in an electronic store in Newry on July 12th 2010. In November 2010, it stopped working - power light would come on, but screen remained black and would not boot up. It was a gift for my Mother, so it was a real disappointment when it stopped working so quickly after purchase.

I brought the laptop back to the store on December 27th and requested a refund.

I was provided a U.K. number and told that "repair is our first option". I responded that I didn't think that was the case as it was within 6 months of the purchase and the product is faulty. The store person just repeated "repair is our first option".

I am getting mixed information from a Google search for my entitlements.

Am I entitled to a refund?

Newry = [broken link removed] and is different to Irish consumer legislation.
[broken link removed]

Claiming a refund
If goods are faulty and you wish to claim a full refund you should contact the trader within a reasonable period of time, this time period is not set out by the law as it will vary depending on what has been purchased and the circumstances of the sale.

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and more from here

When You Find A Fault
The first thing to do if you purchase a faulty item is tell the retailer. You're allowed a "reasonable" amount of time to check that the goods are satisfactory (there's no concrete time given as "reasonable"; it means different things in different situations). The best advice is to check the item immediately and return it as soon as possible if there's a problem. If the goods aren't satisfactory, you can "reject" them and get your money back (but be aware that this right is also only for a "reasonable" time).

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After A Reasonable Time
If a fault appears after that nebulous "reasonable time" has elapsed, don't despair. If it's in the first six months, and it's not because of fair wear and tear, accidental damage or misuse, then the retailer must still repair or replace the item. If he demurs, he has to prove the item wasn't faulty in the first place, or that it couldn't be expected to last that long. Often he'll choose to replace rather than repair it.

If more than six months have gone by, things change. You might still get a repair or replacement, but now you'll have to prove that the item was faulty when you bought it if the retailer disputes your claim.

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I think the retailer has a right to offer you a repair as a first option, if they can't repair it within a reasonable time period then they must either exchange or refund it.

Things change if the fault was inherent and present at the time of sale, then you could argue that the goods were not fit for purpose and defective at the point of purchase.

You should still be covered by an Acer warranty too.