Editing Deflation (section)

===Ireland===
In February 2009, [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]'s [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office]] announced that during January 2009, the country experienced deflation, with prices falling by 0.1% from the same time in 2008. This was the first time deflation has hit the Irish economy since 1960. Overall consumer prices decreased by 1.7% in the month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0212/inflation.html|title=First annual negative inflation in 49 years|date=12 February 2009|work=RTE.ie}}</ref>

Brian Lenihan, Ireland's Minister for Finance, mentioned deflation in an interview with RTÉ Radio. According to RTÉ's account,<ref>[https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1113/124186-budget2010/ Deflation a factor in Budget cuts - Lenihan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903150802/https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1113/124186-budget2010/ |date=2018-09-03 }}, ''RTE News'', 9 December 2009</ref> "Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has said that deflation must be taken into account when Budget cuts in child benefit, public sector pay and professional fees are being considered. Mr Lenihan said month-on-month there has been a 6.6% decline in the cost of living this year."

This interview is notable in that the deflation referred to is not discernibly regarded negatively by the Minister in the interview. The Minister mentions the deflation as an item of data helpful to the arguments for a cut in certain benefits. The alleged economic harm caused by deflation is not alluded to or mentioned by this member of government. This is a notable example of deflation in the modern era being discussed by a senior financial Minister without any mention of how it might be avoided, or whether it should be.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1113/budget.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226052533/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1113/budget.html|url-status=dead|title=''RTÉ News - Deflation a factor in Budget cuts - Lenihan''|website=[[RTÉ.ie]] |archivedate=February 26, 2010}}</ref>{{original research inline|date=April 2013}}