DUBLIN (Reuters) – Recent inflation data broadly confirmed current thinking at the European Central Bank, meaning interest rate cuts are not a near-term topic of debate, chief ECB economist Philip Lane said on Friday. Euro zone inflation jumped as expected last month, rising to 2.9% from 2.4% in November and supporting the ECB’s case to keep interest rates at record highs for the time being. The ECB sees inflation oscillating in the 2.5% to 3% range for much of this year and policymakers have said any talk of a rate cut before crucial first-quarter wage data due in May would be premature. “Tha…