  In Pires {\it et al.} [Phys. Rev. E 84, 066210 (2011)] intermittent maps are
considered, and the tight relationship between correlation decay of smooth
observables and large deviations estimates, as for instance employed in Artuso
and Manchein [Phys. Rev. E 80, 036210 (2009)], is questioned. We try to clarify
the problem, and provide rigorous arguments and an analytic estimate that
disprove the objections raised in Pires {\it et al.} [Phys. Rev. E 84, 066210
(2011)] when ergodic systems are considered.
