COUNTY CORK, Ireland: Seeking to fight back against the pending increase in the prices of alcohol in Ireland, one man has purchased a year's supply of beer and lager.

"They won't get one extra euro off me. I won't be ripped off," said Denis Boyle, 47, a photographer from Co Cork, as quoted by the Irish Mirror.

New laws put in place minimum pricing on beer and alcohol in the Republic of Ireland, with the government's minimum price set at 10 Euro Cents per gram of alcohol.

Boyle reports purchasing a year's supply of beer, including nearly 300 cans of German Pilsner and 100 bottles of French lager, according to the Irish Mirror, bought just before enforcement of the law.

"The only people affected by this are the less well off the wealthy won't notice.

"I went into the local Aldi and spent about €350, which means I save about €200," said Boyle.

"Usually, if I go to the off-licence, I'll buy a six pack. This time, I stocked up. I like a beer, but I'm not a big drinker and I wouldn't bother with spirits, so that will do me for the year."

Government officials claim that raising the price of alcohol in Ireland will "reduce serious illness and death from alcohol consumption," according to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, who said a similar price increase proved successful in Scotland.

"How dare they pretend to know how ordinary people feel?

"If you're on the minimum wage and you buy a slab of beer that will last you two weeks, it will cost you €45 now, instead of €25. How does that help?" asked Boyle.

Meanwhile, Vincent Jennings, CEO of Ireland's Convenience Stores and News Agents Association, said he expects people to "travel to Northern Ireland to buy cheaper alcohol," as reported by Bloomberg.