The issue of homeless and migration will not go away, the Tánaiste has said, insisting that not everyone in emergency accommodation has a right to be housed by the State.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with David McCullagh, Mr Harris was asked about an interview he gave to the Irish Times last month, in which he said a "significant number " of people in emergency housing "don't have a housing right in Ireland".
He replied: "I think there is a bit of nuance here".
The Minister for Finance said that while everyone has a right to emergency accommodation, a circular issued in 2012 makes it clear that to have a right to State housing, there is a number of criteria, including one around residency.
He said the Government intends to legislate on a primary legislative basis to be even clearer on this.
Mr Harris said it must be recognised that it is very hard to have an informed debate if people are not looking at the composition of homelessness and "indeed our migration situation".
He said currently it is roughly a 50/50 spread between Irish citizens and non Irish citizens in emergency accommodation, which he said is a change.
Watch: Tánaiste says national strategy on migration needed
"How can we, as evidence-based policy makers intend to make progress on both migration, homelessness and housing, if we just ignore that reality," Mr Harris said.
Asked if people with refugee status or foreign nationals on work permits have a right to housing supports, Mr Harris said it was his understanding that under Circular 41 (2012) a person has to establish a right to local authority housing.
The minister said migration is a "really good thing", but for every 10,000 people who come into Ireland, an additional 3,000 houses are needed and what is needed is a "clear national migration strategy" on how these issues are dealt with.
Mr Harris said a detailed discussion on work permits is needed, including what is necessary in terms of housing.
Ireland needs more people to work in the economy, he said, adding "but we have to recognise it does have knock on consequences at a time when supply is so constrained in both public services and in housing."
Asked about the influence of the far right on the issue, Mr Harris said he has "no truck" with people on the far right, who he said have stood outside his house wearing balaclavas and threatening his children.
He said he wants to listen to people who have views on migration.
"We have to take a balanced approach", he said, adding the issue just does not go away.
"I don’t like glib comments that attempt to shut down the debate, I think that there's a lot of that experienced around migration in Ireland."
The minister said the new National Migration Strategy will be published this year, which he described as an attempt to marry all the competing issues around migration, including meeting international obligations, having an effective deportation system and making sure "we have the skills we need in our economy and in our country".
