THE Minister for Equality and Law Reform has welcomed a suggestion by the Fianna Fail spokesman on justice that judges be trained in family law.

Mr John O'Donoghue said there might be an improvement in court decisions if judges received a specific training, given that there had been considerable change in family law in recent years. Such cases more often than not were extremely sensitive.

Mr Taylor said any training for members of the judiciary in such a specialised area could only be welcomed and he would raise the matter with the Minister for Justice. "Obviously, these arrangements have to be carried out with the agreement of the judiciary. They are independent officers under the Constitution."

Asked by Ms Helen Keogh (PD, Dun Laoghaire) if the judiciary had shown any willingness to embark on training, Mr Taylor said he had no information about that.

The Fianna Fail spokesman on equality and law reform, Dr Jim McDaid, said be could not understand why the judiciary, particularly in family law, could not have an annual or biannual conference to deal with such matters. "I think there is going to be a huge problem in this field."

Dr McDaid said men and women should be given equal treatment as parents in family law eases, but he did not want this to be seen as an attack on women.

Mr Taylor said the criterion bad to be what was in the best interests of the child. "That will vary from case to case and will depend on what the particular circumstances are in each individual family where the question of access or custody would come up for determination."